Department for Transport

Taxis: Licensing

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing Civil Servants in his Department with relevant knowledge to be seconded to local licensing authorities to deal with the backlog in processing taxi and private hire vehicle licensing applications.

Mr Richard Holden: The Department for Transport is responsible for setting the regulatory framework for the licensing of the taxi and private hire vehicle sectors. Local licensing authorities are responsible for processing licensing applications. The Department published the Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards in 2020, providing guidance for licensing authorities. This states that licensing authorities should ensure that all individuals that determine whether a licence is issued or refused are adequately resourced to allow them to discharge the function effectively and correctly. These individuals that determine whether a licence is issued should be required to undertake sufficient training.

Train Operating Companies

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on which dates (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department met with representatives from the train operating companies since January 2022.

Huw Merriman: Ministers and officials regularly hold meetings with representatives from the train operating companies.

Railways: Strikes

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the risks for its work related to planned industrial action by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers; and what steps his Department has taken to mitigate those risks.

Huw Merriman: The Department is working with industry to ensure that we are taking all possible steps to keep as much of the railway as possible running for passengers and freight, and that passengers and businesses are kept fully informed of the impact of disruption. Network Rail is also working to ensure as many planned engineering works as possible can go ahead in the Christmas period.Departmental officials are taking part in regular roundtables and bilateral discussions with those industries most disrupted by industrial action so the Department and rail industry can better understand the concerns of businesses and passenger groups.

Avanti West Coast: Standards

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to improve services delivered by Avanti West Coast from Birmingham International Station.

Huw Merriman: The Department continues to closely monitor Avanti West Coast’s (AWC’s) delivery of its timetable recovery plan. The plan includes a step-up in service frequency between Birmingham International and London Euston to two trains per hour from 12 December, and a third train in targeted hours throughout the day. Both the Office of Rail and Road and Network Rail have reviewed AWC’s plan and are supportive of the proposition, noting its full and successful delivery requires agreement with unions. The Department will continue to hold AWC to account for matters within its control. The Birmingham International to London Euston route is also served by West Midlands Trains. From 12 December there will be at a combined service of at least 4 trains per hour each way for most of the day, with up to 5 trains per hour at peak times.

Train Operating Companies: Industrial Disputes

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish his Department's Dispute Handling Guide for Train Operating Companies.

Huw Merriman: The Dispute Handling Guide has previously been disclosed in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. A copy of this will also be published on gov.uk shortly.

Railway Stations: Tickets

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information he has received from Network Rail and train operating companies about the levels of usage of the ticket offices at (a) Great Malvern and (b) Malvern Link train stations.

Huw Merriman: The Secretary of State for Transport has not received any data from Network Rail or the train operating companies regarding the usage of ticket offices at Great Malvern and Malvern Link train stations.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme: Sefton Central

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what type energy efficiency measure was installed most frequently in homes in the Sefton Central constituency through the Local Authority Delivery Scheme as of 6 December 2022.

Graham Stuart: The latest figures can be found in the November statistics release.

Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what type of energy efficiency measure has been most installed under the Local Authority Delivery Scheme, as of 6 December 2022.

Graham Stuart: The latest figures can be found in the November statistics release.

Alternative Fuel Payments

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he expects households which will be eligible for the Alternative Fuel Payment but which will not receive the payment automatically because they do not have a relationship with an electricity supplier to be enabled to make an online application.

Graham Stuart: These customers will be able to make an application as soon as possible in the new year.

Alternative Fuel Payments

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans for households eligible for the Alternative Fuel Payment to receive the £200 as a credit on their electricity bill; and whether this payment will be delivered as a lump-sum.

Graham Stuart: The vast majority of Alternative Fuel Payment eligible households in Great Britain will receive payment automatically via their electricity supplier as a £200 lump sum with no need to take any action. The Government expects this payment will be made in the new year.

Green Deal Scheme

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many projects have been completed through the Green Deal as of 6 December 2022.

Graham Stuart: Information on the cumulative number of Green Deal plans can be found in table 7.1 accompanying the latest Household Energy Efficiency Statistics, headline release.

Housing: Ellesmere Port and Neston

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many homes in Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency had cavity wall insulation as of 31 October 2022.

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of homes with lofts that have had loft insulation installed in Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency as of 31 October 2022.

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of homes that have had under floor insulation installed in Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency as of 31 October 2022.

Graham Stuart: BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Green Homes Grant (GHG) schemes, around 1,300 cavity wall insulation measures, 800 loft insulation measures and 57 under floor insulation measures have been installed in Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency. Data for ECO covers January 2013 to September 2022. Data for the GHG schemes covers October 2020 to September 2022

Warm Homes Scheme

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many people have received the Warm Homes Discount as of 6 December 2022.

Graham Stuart: The Government does not hold this data. Energy suppliers are responsible for providing the rebates to their eligible customers and have until the end of March 2023 to do so, although the Government expects most rebates will be provided much earlier. Suppliers are required to report to Ofgem the number of rebates they provide after the end of the scheme year.

Housing: Ellesmere Port and Neston

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of homes that have had heat pumps installed in Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency as of 31 October 2022.

Graham Stuart: The Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database shows that as of 31 October 2022, 63 heat pump installations were registered in the Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency. The database does not include all heat pump installations, for example, those installed without Government funding support, such as in new buildings, which are not typically recorded in the Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database.

Housing: Newcastle upon Tyne Central

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what information his Department holds on how many homes in Newcastle Central constituency had solar power panels installed as of 1 December 2022.

Graham Stuart: At the end of October 2022, there were 931 domestic installations of solar panels recorded in Newcastle upon Tyne Central constituency.

Housing: Ellesmere Port and Neston

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of homes that have had solar power panels installed in Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency as of 31 October 2022.

Graham Stuart: At the end of October 2022, there were 1,418 domestic installations of solar panels recorded in Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency.

Nuclear Weapons: Transport

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what insurance the Government holds for potential incidents arising from the movement of nuclear convoys travelling through Midlothian constituency.

Graham Stuart: The safety and security of nuclear and radioactive material will always be of paramount importance to Government. Transport arrangements must meet strict regulatory requirements to protect workers, the environment and the public, enforced by the UK's independent regulator - the Office for Nuclear Regulation. Civil nuclear operators who engage in transport of nuclear material are required to have appropriate nuclear third party liability insurance in place. The insurance level is dependent on the type and risk of the material being transported.

Nuclear Power: Insurance

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how his Department will (a) calculate and (b) apply an economic charge for an indemnity to cover increased personal injury liabilities for the 10-to-30-year period of liability under the Paris Convention on Third Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear Energy.

Graham Stuart: The Government has agreed to provide a targeted and limited indemnity, for an economic charge to cover a current gap in the insurance market. The economic charge is calculated by considering a number of factors including risk, claims cost, type of nuclear site and the number of sites. The charge is applied directly from the Department to those nuclear operators who utilise the indemnity. The indemnity will be reviewed annually to ensure that it remains the best value for money option and remains necessary whilst the insurance market works towards filling the cover gap.

Environment Protection: Job Creation

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department is taking steps to increase the number of green jobs in Wirral South.

Graham Stuart: The Government is supporting green jobs at a national level with the Green Jobs Delivery Group. This group has already supported 68,000 jobs nationally within the green economy. The Government is also working with the Green Jobs Delivery Group to explore how central Government, local Government and businesses can further support local areas to deliver a successful net zero labour market transition. Alongside this, BEIS is working with DfE and local partners to ensure green skills are considered through Local Skills Improvement Plans.

Energy Bills Rebate

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to help ensure that energy companies pass on Energy Bills Support Scheme payments to their customers.

Graham Stuart: The Energy Bills Support Scheme is delivering, via suppliers, a £400 non-repayable government discount in six instalments from October to March, to help with energy this winter. 29 million households are eligible. The Government is closely monitoring the scheme’s delivery, and requires suppliers to report to monthly. The most recent data shows 97% of the payments due have been issued.

Energy Bills Rebate

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of people who did not receive their Energy Bills Support Scheme payments in October and November 2022.

Graham Stuart: As of 1 November, 97% of customers received their Energy Bills Support Scheme discount. The Department will publish data for November shortly.

Local Net Zero Forum

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Local Net Zero Forum, how often the Forum has met; what the membership of the Forum is; and whether minutes from the Forum will be published.

Graham Stuart: To date, the Local Net Zero Forum has held two meetings, with further meetings planned for the new year. The membership list will be published on gov.uk in due course. The Forum strengthens the engagement between central government and local government on net zero by allowing discussion of net zero policy and delivery issues between officials. Forum discussions feed into ongoing policy and delivery work but the Forum itself does not make decisions or produce publications.

Energy: Price Caps

Paul Girvan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress he has made on the introduction of an energy price cap for businesses in the UK.

Graham Stuart: Applying a price cap in the non-domestic market is impractical given the number of different contractual arrangements, the range of prices offered and the risk of market distortion. The Energy Bill Relief Scheme has been designed to offer a comparable level of support to the domestic Energy Price Guarantee and legislation came into force on 1 November, shielding businesses across the United Kingdom from soaring energy prices and saving some around half of their wholesale energy costs. The scheme applies to energy usage from 1 October 2022 for an initial 6-month period.

Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what type of energy efficiency measure was most frequently installed in homes through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, as of 24 November 2022.

Graham Stuart: Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 1 remains in delivery, with data on the most installed measures expected to be published following the post-delivery assessments.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Energy

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the energy performance certificate rating is for each building (a) rented and (b) owned by his Department as of 7 December 2022.

Graham Stuart: The Department does not own any buildings. BEIS is the primary occupier of the building at 1 Victoria Street, London. The most recent Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating for this building was D and expired October 2022. The landlord has been asked to make the necessary arrangements for its renewal. The current Display Energy Certificate (DEC) is E and expires April 2023.

Wind Power

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the total (a) potential amount of renewable electricity that could be generated by wind turbines in the UK and (b) actual amount of renewable electricity generated by wind turbines in the UK that was used by the National Grid in 2021.

Graham Stuart: BEIS records this information in Chapter 6 of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) publication: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/renewable-sources-of-energy-chapter-6-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes. Table 6.2 shows that installed UK wind capacity was 25.8GW for 2021, generating 64.7TWh of electricity. The theoretical total generating capacity of these turbines is 226TWh of electricity, though this would imply they were generating 100% of the time. Actual output is heavily influenced by weather conditions. Table 6.3 shows that wind operated at 29% of potential maximum in 2021. Typically, we would expect this percentage to increase over time with newer, more efficient deployment

Energy Bills Rebate: Park Homes

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 9 November 2022 to Question 75748 on Energy Bills Rebate: Park Homes, for what reason park home owners have not yet received financial support under Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding.

Graham Stuart: There is no single register of all households eligible for the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding, and it therefore requires a separate approach from the main Energy Bills Support Scheme, which was delivered through suppliers. The Government is developing the EBSS Alternative Funding scheme to support these households, including park homes, and will announce further details on eligibility, delivery mechanisms and timing soon.

Drax Power Station

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of Drax power station's compatibility with the sustainability criteria of the Contracts for Difference and Renewable Obligation scheme.

Graham Stuart: Only biomass that complies with stringent sustainability criteria is eligible for support under the Contracts for Difference and Renewables Obligation schemes. Biomass generators, including Drax, must demonstrate to Ofgem and the Low Carbon Contracts Company respectively that they have met the criteria before they can receive payment under these schemes.

Hinkley Point C Power Station

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what is the current estimated strike rate for Hinkley Point C for the estimated operational year of 2027 based on the annual RPI increases since the 2013 agreed strike rate of £92.50 and future estimates of annual inflation.

Graham Stuart: The Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) is the counterparty to the Contracts for Difference (CfD) with the Developer of Hinkley Point C. The LCCC does not forecast the future strike price but does update the strike price annually based on actual inflation (CPI) data (and other parameters) in line with the CfD contractual requirements.

Hinkley Point C Power Station

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what is the estimated strike rate for Hinkley Point C based on the annual RPI increases since the 2013 agreed strike rate of £92.50.

Graham Stuart: The current strike price published by the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) is £106.12£MWh.

Energy Bills Rebate: Park Homes

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of (a) park home residents and (b) other people who who do not have their own energy contract and will receive support through the Energy Bill Support Scheme in (i) Great Yarmouth, (ii) Norfolk and (iii) the UK.

Graham Stuart: It is estimated that the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding will provide support to around 900,000 households across the UK who do not qualify for the Energy Bills Support Scheme because they do not have a direct relationship with an energy supplier. Of these, it is estimated that up to 125,000 households may be in park homes. The Government has not made estimates of the figures for Great Yarmouth or Norfolk.

Members: Correspondence

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to respond to correspondence of 11 August from the hon. member for Blackpool North and Cleveleys relating to natural gas trade between Britain and Norway.

Graham Stuart: This correspondence was responded to on 6 December, with the reference MCSL2022/18816.

Fossil Fuels: North Sea

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of proposals for the Rosebank fossil fuel development with the UK’s net zero commitments.

Graham Stuart: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave the Hon. Member for Norwich South on 1st November 2022 to Question 69713.

Energy: Meters

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to ban the use of pre-payment meters.

Graham Stuart: There are no plans to ban pre-payment meters. Pre-payment meters provide an important option that consumers can choose to assist with managing their energy payments. The independent regulator Ofgem has strict rules governing when suppliers can require a pre-payment meter to be installed and for protecting consumers who have one.

Fuel Poverty: Government Assistance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to take further steps to support people who are in fuel poverty despite existing Government support for energy bills.

Graham Stuart: The Government is committed to tackling fuel poverty and supporting households both in the short and long term. Therefore, the Government is providing direct financial support for households this year in addition to established support including the Warm Home Discount. The Government considers improving the energy efficiency of homes the best way to tackle fuel poverty and reduce energy costs in the long term. Energy efficiency measures are available to low income and vulnerable households through multiple schemes including the Energy Company Obligation, the Home Upgrade Grant, the Local Authority Delivery scheme and the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

Energy: Meters

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make a comparative estimate of the number of (a) households that include a disabled person and (b) other households on a pre-payment meter.

Graham Stuart: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does not collect data on the number of households with a disabled person on pre-payment meters. Ofgem, the independent regulator, does not collect data at this level. Ofgem License Conditions restrict the installation of pre-payment meters for debt, specifying that a pre-payment meter has to be safe and practical. Under Ofgem guidance safety considerations include having a disability.

Energy: Meters

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential correlation between levels of poverty and the use of pre-payment energy meters in the UK.

Graham Stuart: A household is in fuel poverty if they are on a lower income and unable to heat their home for a reasonable cost. Data on fuel poverty and payment methods is published in the Fuel Poverty detailed tables 2022 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fuel-poverty-detailed-tables-2022. Ofgem's rules require suppliers to ensure prepayment meters are only installed if it is ‘safe and reasonably practicable’ to do so, and there are strong regulatory protections in place to support prepayment meter customers.

Energy: Meters

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to ensure that energy companies are not able to switch people who are unable to pay their energy bills due to poverty onto pre-payment meters.

Graham Stuart: The energy regulator Ofgem has rules in place that restrict the force-fitting of a prepayment meter on customers who are in debt, except as a last resort. Ofgem’s licence conditions obligate suppliers to provide appropriate support for those struggling to pay their bills by setting up repayment plans based on a customer’s ability to pay, and by directing the customer to support services. Ofgem's rules also require energy suppliers to assess whether installing a prepayment meter, or the remote switching of a smart meter to prepayment mode, is safe and reasonably practicable for a customer. When making this assessment, suppliers are required to consider whether a customer’s vulnerability makes a prepayment meter a poor choice, for example where medical equipment is required.

Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund: Wirral South

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many homes were retrofitted as a result of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrator in Wirral South constituency as of 24 November 2022.

Graham Stuart: The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrator awarded around £62m of grant funding, delivering from 2021 into 2022, no funding was awarded to Wirral South. The SHDF Wave 2.1 competition, which closed on 18th November 2022, will allocate up to £800m of grant funding. Successful projects will be notified around March 2023.

UK Internal Trade: EU Law

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill on the free flow of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: We have published an impact assessment for the Bill which is available on GOV.UK. Departments will assess, where required, the impacts of any changes to REUL they make using the powers in the Bill in due course.

Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme: Wirral South

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many homes had been retrofitted through the Local Authority Delivery Scheme in Wirral South on 21 November 2022.

Graham Stuart: As of 21 November 2022, according to official figures, 28 homes have been retrofitted in Wirral South under the Local Authority Delivery Scheme.

Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund: Wirral South

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much money has the Government spent on the Social Housing Decarbonization Fund in Wirral South constituency as of 24 November 2022.

Graham Stuart: The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrator awarded around £62m of grant funding, delivering from 2021 into 2022, no funding was awarded to Wirral South. The SHDF Wave 2.1 competition, which closed on 18th November 2022, will allocate up to £800m of grant funding. Successful projects will be notified around March 2023.

Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme: Wirral South

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the cost to the public purse was of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme in Wirral South as of 24 November 2022.

Graham Stuart: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy does not hold a breakdown of Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding by constituency. Lists of all projects funded through the scheme can be found on the scheme’s GOV.UK page: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-sector-decarbonisation-scheme.

Warm Homes Scheme: Wirral South

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many people have received the Warm Homes Discount in Wirral South as of 24 November 2022.

Graham Stuart: Energy suppliers are responsible for providing rebates to eligible households and are only required to report on the number of rebates provided in England, Scotland and Wales. The Government does not hold data on the number of rebate recipients by constituency.

Fuel Poverty

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make a comparative estimate with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care of the number children in (a) households in fuel poverty and (b) other households who have been diagnosed with respiratory syncytial virus in each of the last five years.

Graham Stuart: The table below shows the estimated number of fuel poor households with dependent children and the estimated number of dependent children within those households in the last five years:  Fuel poor households with dependent child(ren) (000s)Dependent children in fuel poor households (000s)20161,6123,19720171,6273,27620181,4342,96320191,2792,67020201,2722,728 The fuel poverty statistics are classified based on dependent children who are defined as those under 16 or 16-18 and in full-time education Data does not exist on the number of households with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) for each of the last 5 years. UKHSA produces a weekly surveillance report that details the number of cases - National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports: 2022 to 2023 season.

Postal Services: Universal Service Obligation

Sir James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to take steps to amend the Postal Services Act 2011 to allow Royal Mail to move to five-day letter delivery.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government has no current plans to change the statutory minimum requirements of the universal postal service which are set out in the Postal Services Act 2011. There is a clear and transparent process for how changes to the universal postal service should be considered and any change would need to be made through secondary legislation and agreed by Parliament.

Royal Mail

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will have discussions with Royal Mail Group on the Board’s decision on the level of dividends and the potential impact on the Group’s financial position; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Hollinrake: Ministers and officials meet with Royal Mail regularly to discuss a range of issues in relation to its role as the universal postal service provider. However, commercial matters including dividends are matters for Royal Mail’s management in which Government has no role. Ofcom has the power and responsibility, under the Postal Services Act 2011, to regulate the provision of a financially sustainable and efficient UK universal postal service. It has in place a monitoring regime that seeks to identify any threats or risks to the universal postal service and it publishes an annual report summarising its monitoring programme on its website:www.ofcom.org.uk/postal-services/information-for-the-postal-industry/monitoring_reports.

Postal Services: Universal Service Obligation

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to consult (a) businesses and (b) domestic consumers on whether to amend the Postal Services Act 2011 to allow Royal Mail to operate a five-day letter delivery service.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government has no current plans to change the statutory minimum requirements of the universal postal service which are set out in the Postal Services Act 2011. Ofcom, the statutory regulator for postal services, conducted a user needs review in 2020 which included consultation with businesses and domestic consumers. It concluded that 97% of Small and Medium sized enterprises, and residential consumers combined felt that 5 days of letter delivery was sufficient for their needs.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme: Fraud and Maladministration

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department made an estimate of the level of losses to (a) fraud and (b) error through the Bounce Back Loan Scheme in May 2020.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) was announced on 27 April 2020 and launched on 4 May 2020. BBLS was launched in extraordinary circumstances. Ministers made an explicit trade-off to ensure businessescould get the financial support they urgently needed as quickly as possible, despite the increased fraud risks this entailed. The residual fraud risks (which were captured in a draft review prepared by PwC for the British Business Bank) were referenced in the Ministerial Direction letters published in relation to the Scheme, and the Reservation Notice published by the British Business Bank. The Cabinet Office began an extensive BBLS fraud analytics programme in July 2020. Fraud and error estimates were given due consideration throughout these discussions.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the oral contribution of the then-Minister of State for the Cabinet Office and the Treasury in the House of Lords on 24 January 2022, Official Report, column 20, which commercial lenders accounted for (a) 87 per cent of loans paid to companies already dissolved, (b) 81 per cent of loans paid to companies incorporated after the eligibility date and (c) 38 per cent of the duplicate Bounce Back Loan Scheme application checks that were not carried out after the requirement was enforced.

Kevin Hollinrake: We are unable to name the lenders referenced, as doing so would be likely to prejudice their commercial interests, because the position is likely to change as we receive more data from lenders in the course of time. Approximately £113m of ineligible loans have been identified and removed from guarantee cover, including since 24 January 2022. These include duplicate loans and those paid to companies already dissolved or incorporated after the eligibility date. Therefore, statistics on lender accountability for ineligible loans will have changed since that date. Differences between lender data should not be viewed as absolute indicators of performance, as lenders have very different portfolios and business models.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of how much and what proportion of the Government funding paid out through the Bounce Back Loan Scheme which was used by loan recipients to pay off (a) loans, (b) overdrafts, (c) credit cards and (d) other bank-issued debt with commercial lenders.

Kevin Hollinrake: The first phase of the evaluation of the Covid loan schemes delivered by the British Business Bank was published on 14 June 2022 and found 13% of Bounce Back Loan borrowers used loan proceeds to make debt repayments. We do not have this data broken down by type of debt. The refinancing of debt using a Bounce Back Loan, for example paying off credit card bills or an overdraft, may well have eased the financial burden on small businesses during the pandemic and would be a legitimate use of the scheme.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme: Fraud

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the cost to the public purse has been of the 100 per cent guarantee under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme for loans (a) which have been found to be fraudulent and (b) where the recipient has defaulted on that loan.

Kevin Hollinrake: As of 31 July 2022, £263 million has been paid out to lenders against loans with a ‘suspected fraud’ flag. It is important to note that this is the figure for monies paid out in settlement so far, and does not include loans which are currently in default or claimed status but which have not been settled. Please note that ‘suspected fraud’ will not necessarily equate to actual fraud in the scheme and the marking of a loan as ‘suspected fraud’ within the scheme portal does not necessarily mean that there has been any proven wrongdoing on the part of the borrower.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much the British Business Bank has spent on legal fees to challenge freedom of information requests made by the Times newspaper and Spotlight on Corruption on the Bounce Back Loan Scheme.

Kevin Hollinrake: To date, the British Business Bank has incurred a legal spend of £28,137.88 plus VAT challenging the Freedom of Information request made by Spotlight on Corruption on the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, following a complaint by Spotlight on Corruption to the Information Commissioner’s Office, and subsequently an appeal to the First Tier Tribunal (after the ICO supported the Bank’s original position). The Bank has not incurred any legal spend in relation to any Freedom of Information request made by the Times in relation to the Bounce Back Loan Scheme.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has had recent discussions with the British Business Bank on its decision to challenge freedom of information requests made by the Times newspaper and Spotlight on Corruption on the Bounce Back Loan Scheme.

Kevin Hollinrake: No Freedom of Information requests from the Times in relation to the Bounce Back Loans Scheme are subject to challenge either before the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) or the First Tier Tribunal. BEIS officials were sighted on British Business Bank written responses to the ICO in relation a complaint brought by Spotlight on Corruption on the Bounce Back Loan Scheme and were also sighted on the Bank’s subsequent response to Spotlight’s appeal to the First Tier Tribunal.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme: Fraud

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to recover money lost to fraud from the British Business Bank’s Bounce Back Loan Scheme.

Kevin Hollinrake: The delegated nature of the schemes places primary responsibility on lenders to recover money lost to fraud. Government continues to work with lenders, law enforcement, and partners to recover fraudulently obtained loans.As of October 2022, Insolvency Service action on Covid-19 support scheme fraud has resulted in 391 director disqualifications and 119 bankruptcy restrictions, the majority relating to BBLS fraud. They have also achieved 2 criminal prosecutions. The National Investigation Service (NATIS) have a total recoveries target of £6 million this financial year and have recovered £5.8 million to date.At the Spring Statement 2022, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced almost £50 million of additional funding for counter-fraud work, of which over half related to Bounce Back Loans.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme: Fraud

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an estimate of the amount of money lost to fraud from the British Business Bank’s Bounce Back Loan Scheme.

Kevin Hollinrake: The latest estimates for suspected fraud and error losses in the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) can be found in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2021-2022, accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beis-annual-report-and-accounts-2021-to-2022.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish a list of all the companies that have received support through the British Business Bank's Bounce Back Loan Scheme.

Kevin Hollinrake: Arguments regarding the possible disclosure of individual details for Bounce Back Loan scheme borrowers have now been heard at First Tier Tribunal. The Tribunal’s decision on this issue is expected in due course and it would be inappropriate to comment further until that decision is received.

Zero Hours Contracts

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Office for National Statics data entitled People in Employment on Zero Hours contracts published on 15 November 2022, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the rise in the number of people recorded as looking for an additional job between April-June 2022 and July-September 2022.

Kevin Hollinrake: Zero hours contracts are a small but important part of the UK’s flexible labour market. This Government is committed to putting more power into the hands of individuals and businesses to find and create work that suits their personal circumstances. The Government has widened the ban on exclusivity clauses, to contracts where the guaranteed weekly income is equivalent to or below the Lower Earnings Limit of £123 a week. The reforms ensure that workers in this group that have exclusivity clauses can top up their income with extra work if they choose.

Employment Tribunals Service

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the letter of 8 November from the Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business to the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston, what steps his Department is discussing with the Ministry of Justice to enhance the efficiency, resilience, and sustainability of the employment tribunal system.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Ministry of Justice and BEIS have introduced several measures to maximise capacity and efficiency in the Employment Tribunal to help respond to demand. This includes greater investment in Acas (to avoid the need for cases going to Tribunal) and greater support to ensure that those that do go to Tribunal are heard more quickly. For example, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has recently announced an extra £2.85 million investment in the Employment Tribunal this year, allowing up to 1,700 more cases to come before judges by the end of March 2023.

Flexible Working

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of people who have had requests for flexible working refused in the last 12 months.

Kevin Hollinrake: In September 2021, the Government published a Post Implementation Review of the 2014 Flexible Working Regulations. This considered evidence from a range of different sources, including the Management and Wellbeing Practices Survey. The survey found that in 83% of workplaces, where a request had been made, the request was granted, with 9% of employers reporting turning down a flexible working request in 2018-19 (the remaining proportion had an unknown outcome). These numbers remain broadly unchanged since the right to request flexible working legislation was extended in 2014.

Flexible Working

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his planned timetable is for the implementation of the policies set out in the Written Ministerial Statement entitled Employment Rights, HCWS411, published on 5 December 2022.

Kevin Hollinrake: On 5 December the Government set out its position on flexible working and published the response to the consultation “making flexible working the default”, including plans for legislation.The Government is pleased to support the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill which gives effect to many of the measures, and is currently progressing through Parliament.

Recognition of Professional Qualifications (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, what plans they have to (a) revoke, (b) replace or (c) retain the Recognition of Professional Qualifications (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Recognition of Professional Qualifications (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 includes measures to implement obligations under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, the Separation Agreement with Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein (the ‘EEA EFTA States’), and the Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement. The Government has committed that the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill will preserve retained EU law that is necessary to maintain the UK’s international obligations, such as those in the agreements with the EU, EEA EFTA States and Switzerland.

Public Houses

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support pubs and breweries during the cost-of-living crisis; and what steps his Department is taking to provide (a) guidance and (b) support to community groups seeking to have pubs listed as Assets of Community Value.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government recognise that hospitality businesses are facing cost of living pressures. The Energy Bill Relief Scheme ensures that businesses are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period. My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer recently announced a range of support measures regarding business rates worth £13.6 billion over the next 5 years. Councils are responsible for the oversight, administration and publication of their local Assets of Community Value scheme. The Government does not hold a central list of this information and does not require Local Authorities in England to submit updates on the number of Assets of Community Value which they have listed or rejected.

Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Retained EU Law Bill, whether he has plans to (a) replace, (b) revoke and (c) retain the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government is committed to a consumer rights framework that protects consumers and drives consumer confidence, while minimising unnecessary costs to business. We will bring forward proposals to address REUL that impacts consumer protection using the powers in the bill or other available legislative instruments in due course.

Maternity and Parental Leave etc. Regulations 1999

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Retained EU Law Bill, whether he has plans to (a) replace, (b) revoke and (c) retain the Maternity and Parental Leave etc Regulations 1999.

Kevin Hollinrake: In leaving the EU we regained the ability to regulate autonomously, and the Government is therefore conducting a comprehensive review of all retained EU employment law to ensure that our regulations are tailored to the needs of the UK economy and help create the conditions for economic growth.

Consumers: Protection

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation in order to prevent price gouging and strengthen consumer protection in case of rare and unexpected events.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government is committed to tackling consumer rip-offs and bad business practices, including profiteering. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) monitors firms suspected of profiteering to challenge unjustifiable price increases and takes enforcement action where there is evidence that competition or consumer protection law has been broken. Through the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill, government has committed to give the CMA administrative enforcement powers to tackle businesses not treating customers fairly, bolstering protections for consumers across the economy. The Government continues to monitor the operation of consumer markets and keeps all options under review to ensure good value and service for consumers.

Minimum Wage: Regulation

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to introduce regulations to implement EU directive 2022/2041 on adequate minimum wages.

Kevin Hollinrake: On 1 April 2023, the Government will increase the National Living Wage (NLW) for workers aged 23 years and over by 9.7% to £10.42. This keeps the Government on track to achieve its manifesto commitment for the NLW to equal two-thirds of median earnings by 2024. The age threshold is also set to lower to 21+ in 2024. The UK is the first country in the world to set such an ambition. This policy will support the Government’s ambition of ending low pay in the UK.

Minimum Wage: Care Workers

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will introduce a specific minimum wage for care workers.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government is incredibly proud of all our health and social care staff and recognise their extraordinary commitment. The staff who make up the paid social care workforce provide an invaluable service to the nation. Regarding a specific minimum wage for care workers, a single national rate is clear and simple for employers to understand that all workers must be paid the National Minimum Wage. The Government is on track to achieve its manifesto commitment for the NLW to equal two-thirds of median earnings by 2024. This Government has always and will continue to encourage employers to pay their workers more than the statutory minimum when they can afford to do so.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Indo-Pacific Region

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether there has been a change in his Department's (a) departmental expenditure limit and (b) annually managed expenditure spending in the Indo-Pacific region since 16 March 2021.

Kevin Hollinrake: BEIS does not set spending budgets for specific geographical regions. Where spend is ODA eligible then details are published at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-on-international-development-final-uk-aid-spend-2021. Specific spending details including departmental and geographic breakdowns are in this published file:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1119764/data-underlying-SID-2021.ods.

Royal Mail: Redundancy

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of Royal Mail's plans to cut 10,000 full-time equivalent roles by August 2023 on the Government's levelling up agenda.

Kevin Hollinrake: Decisions on organisational structure and staffing levels are operational business matters for Royal Mail. The Government is not involved in the operations of Royal Mail, a private business, but notes that the company has invested over £2 billion since privatisation including significant investment in new parcel super-hubs in the North West and the West Midlands.

Postal Services: Universal Service Obligation

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the Royal Mail Group reducing the Univeral Service Obligation to five days with no Saturday deliveries.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government’s objective continues to be ensuring the provision of a sustainable, accessible, and affordable universal postal service. The Government has no current plans to change the statutory minimum requirements of the universal postal service which are set out in the Postal Services Act 2011.

Royal Mail: Finance

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to launch an inquiry into the management of funds by Royal Mail Group Ltd.

Kevin Hollinrake: Royal Mail is a private business and the management of its finances are matters for its Board and shareholders. Company directors are scrutinised internally and externally by shareholders and the various government authorities that oversee companies within the UK, namely Companies House and HMRC.

Employment: Long Covid

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he has taken to provide long-term support in the workplace for people suffering from long covid.

Kevin Hollinrake: BEIS works with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Work and Pensions supporting workplace health and wellbeing through the delivery of Health is Everyone’s Business consultation response. Employees have a statutory right to request flexible working, which can help them to balance employment alongside other aspects of life – such as managing a health condition like Long Covid. We recently announced that the Right to Request Flexible Working will be made available to all employees from their first day of employment. The Government is also supporting the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Private Members Bill.

Small Businesses: Cost of Living

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many small and medium-sized enterprises have received financial support from the Government in Portsmouth South constituency since 1st January 2022.

Kevin Hollinrake: Businesses in Portsmouth South will have benefitted from the Government’s reversal of the National Insurance rise, which will save SMEs approximately £4,200 on average, cut to fuel duty for 12 months and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, to protect small businesses from high energy costs over the winter. In addition, the Recovery Loan Scheme is available to SMEs across the UK. The Government is also providing financial support for business through the Start Up loan scheme - 185 SMEs in Portsmouth South have received loans to the value of £1,595,221 as of October 2022.

Business: Cost of Living

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has had discussions with businesses in Portsmouth South constituency on the potential impact of the cost of living crisis on those businesses.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government recognises the impact rising prices are having on businesses, including those in Portsmouth South, and is engaging with businesses across the UK to understand these challenges and explore ways to mitigate them.­­Businesses in Portsmouth South will have benefitted from the Government’s reversal of the National Insurance rise, saving SMEs £4,200 on average, cut to fuel duty for 12 months and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, which is shielding businesses across the country from soaring energy prices, saving some around half of their wholesale energy costs. In addition, at the Autumn Statement, my Rt Hon Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £13.6 billion of support for businesses over the next five years, reducing the burden of business rates for SMEs.

Housing: Energy

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to increase the rate of energy efficiency measure installations in homes in Portsmouth South constituency.

Graham Stuart: The Government is committed to improving the energy performance of homes across the country, including in Portsmouth South. The Government is already investing £6.6 billion over this parliament on decarbonising heat and energy efficiency measures. An additional £6 billion of new Government funding, announced in the Autumn Statement, will be made available from 2025 to 2028. This provides long-term funding certainty, supporting the growth of supply chains, ensuring we can scale up our delivery over time.

Housing: Batley and Spen

Kim Leadbeater: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many homes in Batley and Spen constituency had loft insulation installed as of 31 October 2022.

Graham Stuart: BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Green Homes Grant (GHG) Government schemes, there have been around 800 loft insulation measures installed in Batley and Spen constituency. Data for ECO covers January 2013 to September 2022. Data for the GHG schemes cover October 2020 to September 2022.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his Department’s policy is on (a) initiatives and (b) reforms that will need to be taken forward by (i) Ofgem, (ii) National Grid and (iii) his Department to achieve the Government’s target of 50GW by 2030.

Graham Stuart: The Holistic Network Design (HND) provides a recommended design to connect 23GW of offshore wind. Alongside projects already installed, in planning or in consenting, total capacity if delivered, will exceed 50GW by 2030. To ensure the infrastructure identified in the HND can be built, BEIS is working across government to implement the commitments made in the British Energy Security Strategy. BEIS also supports and encourages the work of Ofgem and National Grid Electricity Systems Operator (NGESO) in developing and implementing the HND. For example, Ofgem is consulting on appropriate delivery models for projects in the HND and on accelerating the delivery of the strategic electricity transmission network. NGESO published their ‘Industry Code, Standard and Licence Recommendation Report' alongside the HND in July 2022; this outlined the scope of the changes to codes and standards needed to implement the HND. The NGESO is now working with industry to progress these changes.

Energy Bills Rebate: Meters

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what information his Department holds on the number of energy vouchers issued by energy providers for people who get their energy via pre-payment meters.

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps has his Department taken to help ensure that people who get their energy supply through a pre-payment meter receive the first instalment of the energy voucher.

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his officials have had with OVO on the time it has taken to issue Energy Bills Support Scheme support to individuals who receive their energy supply via pre payment metres.

Graham Stuart: On 4 December, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to all energy suppliers with customers on traditional prepayment meters including OVO, reiterating the importance of ensuring these customers receive their vouchers and, receive prompt service and accurate information from supplier call centres. This was followed up by a meeting I held with all CEOs of energy suppliers with prepayment meter customers to press them to ensure a good service is provided. This does not relate to customers with smart prepayment meters which are credited automatically. 100% of vouchers were dispatched to traditional prepayment meter customers in the first month of the scheme’s operation

Energy Company Obligation

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2022 to Question 94739, whether the Government has plans to improve the rate of ECO4 energy efficiency measures installations in homes.

Graham Stuart: Measures expected to be installed under ECO4 were set out in the ECO4 Impact Assessment and the Government has no plans to adjust these. However, the Government will continue to monitor delivery under the scheme and if sufficient evidence suggests that these estimates require re-modelling then Government will re-assess the position at that time. Obligated suppliers will continue to have until the end of March 2026 to fulfil their obligation.

Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund: Warwick and Leamington

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much has been spent on the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund in the Warwick & Leamington constituency as of 24 November 2022.

Graham Stuart: This parliament, the Government has committed to investing £6.6bn in energy efficiency, the Autumn Statement announced an additional £6bn from 2025-2028. The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrator awarded £62m of grant funding, delivering from 2021 into 2022. Data is held on local authority-led projects rather than at a constituency level. The SHDF Wave 2.1 competition will allocate up to £800m of grant funding, with successful projects notified around March 2023.

Energy: Meters

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many warrants have been granted to energy companies (a) nationally, (b) in York and (c) in York, Central constituency to move a customer to a pre-payment meter in each month of the last two years.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to end the use of warrants to install pre-payment meters.

Graham Stuart: Neither the Government nor Ofgem, the independent regulator, collect this data at the constituency level. Ofgem's latest data shows that the number of warrants exercised in Great Britain to install a pre-payment meter was 49,552 over 2021. Ofgem do not collect data on this in Northern Ireland.

Housing: Warwick and Leamington

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many homes in the Warwick & Leamington constituency had heat pumps installed as of 31 October 2022.

Graham Stuart: The Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database shows that as of 31 October 2022, 148 heat pump installations were registered in the Warwick & Leamington constituency. The database does not include all heat pump installations, for example, those installed without Government funding support, such as in new buildings.

Housing: Warwick and Leamington

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many homes in the Warwick & Leamington constituency had solar power panels installed as of 31 October 2022.

Graham Stuart: At the end of October 2022, there were 1761 domestic installations of solar panels recorded in Warwick and Leamington constituency.

Housing: Portsmouth South

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of homes that have had heat pumps installed in Portsmouth South constituency as of 31 October 2022.

Graham Stuart: The Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database shows that as of 31 October 2022, seventeen heat pump installations were registered in the Portsmouth South constituency. The database does not include all heat pump installations, for example, those installed without Government funding support, such as in new buildings, which are not typically recorded in the Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database.

Coal: Mining

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answers of 28 September 2022 and 8 November 2022 to Questions 51588 and 74620 on Coal: Mining, what the evidential basis is for stating that there may continue to be domestic demand for coal in industries such as steel, cement and for heritage railways in the context of his Department having not produced estimates of future coal use by industry.

Graham Stuart: A breakdown of coal usage trends can be found in Chapter Two of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/digest-of-uk-energy-statistics-dukes-2022.

Housing: Portsmouth South

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of houses that have had solar power panels installed in Portsmouth South constituency as of 31 October 2022.

Graham Stuart: At the end of October 2022, there were 614 domestic installations of solar panels recorded in Portsmouth South constituency.

Housing: Portsmouth South

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of homes with cavity walls that have been insulated in Portsmouth South constituency as of 31 October 2022.

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of houses with lofts that have had had loft insulation installed in Portsmouth South constituency as of 31 October 2022.

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of houses that have had underfloor insulation installed in Portsmouth South constituency as of 31 October 2022.

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of houses that have had external wall insulation installed in Portsmouth South constituency as of 31 October 2022.

Graham Stuart: BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Green Homes Grant (GHG) Government schemes, around 3,300 cavity wall insulation measures, 1,100 loft insulation measures, 5 under floor insulation measures and fewer than 5 external wall insulation measures have been installed in Portsmouth South constituency. Data for ECO covers January 2013 to September 2022. Data for the GHG schemes cover October 2020 to September 2022.

Housing: Batley and Spen

Kim Leadbeater: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many homes in Batley and Spen constituency had solar power panels installed as of 31 October 2022.

Graham Stuart: At the end of October 2022, there were 1,606 domestic installations of solar panels recorded in Batley and Spen constituency.

Cabinet Office

Unemployment: Energy

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an estimate with Cabinet colleagues of the number of unemployed people who are using pre-payment meters.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people that receive disability related benefits are on pre-payment meters.

Jeremy Quin: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon. Member's Parliamentary Question: PQ102902 and PQ102903 are attached.Pre-payment meters (pdf, 146.8KB)

Government Departments: Procurement

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government will take to ensure adherence to the Construction Playbook.

Alex Burghart: To support departments in implementing the Construction Playbook, the Cabinet Office offers in-person training sessions and an eLearning module that covers the key principles. Departments are also able to bid for additional commercial resources to support live procurements. This is targeted, short-term specialist support to upskill teams through ‘on the job experience’ where we work with project teams to ensure they adhere to the playbook principles. Cabinet Office is also encouraging adherence by working with departments to improve their pipelines, and making use of these to identify early opportunities to offer support in implementation of Playbook principles. This is complemented by work with senior sponsors in each of the key construction departments to identify areas to offer greater support, or to identify challenging areas where more guidance or training is required. Finally, compliance with the Playbook principles is assessed on a ‘comply or explain’ basis as part of the Cabinet Office commercial controls process.

Covid-19 Inquiry: Travellers

Ian Byrne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure that the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities are fully represented in the Government's UK covid-19 public inquiry.

Alex Burghart: The Inquiry is specifically required to consider any disparities evident in the impact of the pandemic on different categories of people. This includes, but is not limited to, those relating to protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 and equality categories under the Northern Ireland Act 1998. Under the Inquiries Act 2005, decisions regarding the conduct of the Inquiry are for the Independent Chair.

Department of Health and Social Care

Streptococcus: Antibiotics

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to secure more supplies of antibiotics used to treat Strep A.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Streptococcus: Antibiotics

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of supplies of antibiotics used to treat children with Strep A.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Motor Neurone Disease: Research

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's announcement that it would invest £375 million in neurodegenerative disease research, published on 14 November 2021, what progress his Department has made on releasing at least £50 million of funding for research into motor neurone disease; and what advice his Department provides to organisations who wish to access that funding.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Blood: Donors

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether blood donations from people who have not been vaccinated against covid-19 are separately identified; and whether people who require such blood are able to access it.

Neil O'Brien: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Health Services: International Cooperation

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what meeting he has held with his international counterparts to discuss improving international healthcare; and what further meetings he has planned on this matter.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Hospitals

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of publicly-funded hospitals in England built in or before (a) 1948 and (b) 1939.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ambulance Services

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the data his Department holds on how many publicly-funded ambulance stations in England were built in or before (a) 1948 and (b) 1939.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many new dental practices offering NHS appointments have opened in each year since 2015.

Neil O'Brien: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

GP Surgeries

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many new General Practice surgeries offering NHS appointments have opened in each year since 2015.

Neil O'Brien: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ambulance Services: Standards

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many ambulance services were at Level Four in the Resource Escalation Action Plan in England as of 8 December 2022.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ambulance Services: Standards

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of only having four levels in the Resource Escalation Action Plan.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department plans to spend on biomedical research into the (a) causes, (b) consequences and (c) treatment of Myalgic encephalomyelitis in 2022-23.

Will Quince: The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR has provided approximately £4.4 million for research on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) since 2011. In addition, the NIHR and the Medical Research Council have jointly funded a £3.2 million study into genetics and ME/CFS. The study will analyse samples from 25,000 people with ME/CFS to search for genetic differences which may indicate underlying causes or an increased risk of developing the condition.

NHS: Early Retirement

Alicia Kearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of public pension rules on early retirement rates of health professionals from the NHS.

Will Quince: The Department announced in 'Our plan for patients' intentions to implement new retirement flexibilities to support our most experienced doctors and nurses to stay in the workforce longer and change pension scheme rules to make it easier and more attractive for retired staff to return to service. A consultation on detailed proposals has been published on the 5th of December. This is expected to propose a new partial retirement flexibility and allowing retired staff to build up more pension when returning to service. It will also propose the permanent removal of the 16-hour rule that limited the amount of work retired staff could do in the first month upon returning to service. In addition, the Department has extended until 31 March 2025 the suspension of pension abatement for nurses and other staff who claimed their pension early using special class retirement rights. This means they can contribute additional hours without affecting their pension. We are also working with NHS England to encourage NHS Trusts to explore local solutions for senior clinicians affected by pension tax charges, including the option of employer pension contribution recycling.

NHS: Staff

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a timetable for the implementation of the NHS workforce plan.

Will Quince: The long term workforce plan is currently being developed by NHS England. The Government has committed to publishing the plan next year.

Plastics: Health Hazards

Alberto Costa: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of commissioning research into the impacts of plastic on human health.

Will Quince: No specific assessment has been made. The Department has commissioned research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) on microplastic toxicity in humans through its Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Exposures and Health with Imperial College London and the UK Health Security Agency. This will be reported in peer reviewed academic journals in due course.

Health Professions: Labour Turnover and Recruitment

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) recruitment and (b) retainment of (i) nurses, (ii) doctors, (iii) dentists and (iv) medical technicians.

Will Quince: We are on schedule to deliver an additional 50,000 nurses by the end of March 2024, with a further 32,000 nurses currently working in the National Health Service, compared with September 2019. The Government has funded an additional 1,500 medical school places each year for domestic students in England, which was completed in September 2020 and delivered five new medical schools. The first graduates from this expansion entered foundation training in August 2022. Health Education England has undertaken a three-year review of education and training, which is being implemented through the Dental Education Reform Programme. In July 2022, we announced measures to reform NHS dental services to increase access for patients and remunerate dentists fairly for caring for patients with complex needs. We are also working with NHS England and the sector on longer-term improvements to make NHS dentistry a more appealing place to work. Emergency medical technician training is undertaken through an apprenticeship qualification whilst employed in an ambulance service trust. Some EMTs can progress to a registered paramedic through additional education programmes. NHS England’s retention programme seeks to understand why staff leave and provide targeted interventions to support staff to stay, with each trust required to have in place retention action plans that will target support where needed locally. The Department has commissioned NHS England to develop a long-term workforce plan. The plan will consider the number of staff and the roles required and will set out the actions and reforms needed to improve workforce supply and retention.

Department of Health and Social Care: Chief Scientific Advisers

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many meetings (a) they and (b) other Ministers in their Department have had with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (i) 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022, (ii) 1 March to 31 May 2022 and (iii) 1 June to 31 August 2022.

Will Quince: The Department draws from a range of scientific advice and expertise. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.

NHS: Staff

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to para 5.59 of the Autumn Statement, CP 751, published on 17 November, whether the independently verified workforce forecasts will include the projected costs of workforce expansion.

Will Quince: The Government has committed to publishing a workforce plan next year, which will include independently verified forecasts for the number of healthcare professionals required in future years, taking account of improvements in retention and productivity. The plan will inform how we can meet the needs of patients and the National Health Service workforce. Funding plans beyond the current Spending Review period will be subject to the outcome of future Spending Reviews.

NHS: Staff

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, reference to para 5.59 of the Autumn Statement, CP 751, published on 17 November, which organisations he plans to involve in independently verifying the NHS workforce forecasts; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of including medical royal colleges holding workforce census data in this process.

Will Quince: The Government has committed to publishing a workforce plan next year, which will include independently verified forecasts for the number of healthcare professionals required in future years, taking account of improvements in retention and productivity. NHS England is engaging with a range of stakeholders in developing this plan.

Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many companies have left the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access in 2022.

Will Quince: Five companies submitted their intention to leave the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access in 2022. These companies will remain members until 31 December 2022, before joining the Statutory Scheme from 1 January 2023.

Health Professions: Regulation

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he will publish a response to the consultation Regulating healthcare professionals, protecting the public which closed on 16 June 2021.

Will Quince: We are planning to publish the Government’s response shortly.

Diagnosis: Southport

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve diagnostic services in Southport constituency.

Will Quince: A new community diagnostic centre in the Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust area is due to open in January 2023. In 2022/23, capital funding has been provided for additional endoscopy equipment and an additional acute computerised tomography scanner at the Trust. This will increase capacity, reduce waiting times and the proportion of patients waiting more than six weeks.

Medicine: Students

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to extend bursaries available to healthcare students to (a) medicine and (b) dentistry students.

Will Quince: There are no current plans to do so. In years one to four of an undergraduate medical or dental course, domestic students can access student loans from Student Finance England. From year five of an undergraduate course and from year two of a graduate-entry course, eligible medical and dental students can access the NHS Bursary. This is non-repayable and comprises payment for tuition fees and, where eligible, further grants and allowances.

NHS: Drugs

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has taken recent steps to help ensure that there are interoperable prescribing systems between NHS providers and homecare medicines services providers.

Will Quince: The National Homecare Medicines Committee’s standardisation programme includes a project with the National Health Service, NHS Digital, Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration systems’ vendors and homecare providers to produce a specification for an electronic prescribing system. This will focus on the technical aspects of homecare requirements and will include interoperable prescribing systems.

Carers

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to (a) encourage social care providers to identify employees who are also unpaid carers within their workforce and provide support and (b) make that activity part of his workforce strategy.

Helen Whately: The Government is supporting the Carer’s Leave Bill. The Bill proposes that leave will be available to all qualifying employees, including those working in care who also have unpaid caring responsibilities. It will be unpaid and available to take in increments of half days or individual days, up to a week, to be taken over a 12-month period.

Ventilators

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to increase the support his Department provides to people dependant on a ventilator at home.

Helen Whately: The Government’s cost of living support includes £15 billion to support the most vulnerable, including those using ventilators in their homes. Specific National Health Service specialised services also grant financial rebates to meet energy costs, including home oxygen concentrators.  NHS England is working with regional teams and integrated care systems to identify funding to address increases in energy costs incurred through the use of medical equipment in the home.

Breast Cancer: Screening

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer on 15 November 2022 to Question 83734, how many women are awaiting invites to the NHS England’s Breast Screening Programme.

Helen Whately: Whilst NHS England collects information on invitations issued by the NHS Breast Screening Programme, this has not been centrally validated.

Carers

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to introduce a strategic and clear delivery approach to identifying carers by the NHS across all its structures and delivery mechanisms so that it is identifying carers systematically and pro-actively.

Helen Whately: The ‘People at the Heart of Care: Adult Social Care Reform White Paper’ addressed identifying unpaid carers through increasing the use of markers in National Health Service electronic health records by simplifying current approaches to data collection and registration.On 17 October 2022, NHS England wrote to all general practitioner practices about the importance of identifying carers and advising how caring status should be recorded on patient records.

Lung Cancer: North East

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to improve the (a) care and (b) diagnosis of lung cancer patients in (i) the North East and (ii) Newcastle upon Tyne.

Helen Whately: In March 2021, the Targeted Lung Health Check Programme was launched in Newcastle, which aims to ensure earlier diagnosis of patients with lung cancer. The Programme identifies those most at risk of developing lung cancer and offers a computed tomography scan. The Targeted Lung Health Check Programme is currently being expanded across the North East.

Cervical Cancer: Screening

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to address variation between local authorities in the uptake of cervical cancer screening.

Helen Whately: NHS England is working with regional integrated care boards and Cancer Alliances to support local improvements in coverage. Resources have been developed for commissioners and providers to ensure that all eligible participants can access the NHS Cervical Screening Programme.

Streptococcus: Screening

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to deploy rapid molecular testing systems for patients who may be suffering from Strep A.

Maria Caulfield: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) current guidance on strep A rapid diagnostics does not recommend routine adoption of rapid molecular testing systems for diagnosing STREP-A in patients aged five years old and over presenting with sore throat.  A multi-agency guidance document was published through the National Health Service website to support clinicians providing an interim clinical guidance summary on Group A Streptococcal (GAS) infection in children. The aim of this guidance is to support clinical diagnosis, promote appropriate use of antimicrobials, whilst ensuring patient safety in an evolving situation. The guidance is available at the following link:  https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/PRN00058-group-a-streptococcus-in-children-interim-clinical-guidance-december-2022.pdf  UK Health Security Agency have robust arrangements for surveillance of strep A related infections implemented in England. This combines notifications of clinical diagnosis, syndromic surveillance of clinical presentations at GPs, emergency departments and through NHS 111, with reporting of laboratory testing of clinician-administered tests.

Social Services: Reform

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to progress the commitments in his White Paper on People at the Heart of Care: Adult Social Care reform; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Whately: We have supported sector digitisation, including developing an approach for improving oversight of the adult social care system and enhancing the collection and use of data. Digital Social Care Records have been implemented in more than 50% of care providers. This is an increase from 45% of providers in March 2022. We have provided integrated care systems with £14 million to support with the establishment and piloting of care technologies locally. The client-level dataset is being developed and from April 2023, it will collect data on those who receive care and support from local authorities. From April 2023, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will begin assessing local authorities’ delivery of their adult social care duties. The CQC have been working with local government, the care sector and people with care and support needs to develop a framework for these assessments.

Health: Disadvantaged

Dr Dan Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to publish a White Paper on health disparities.

Neil O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bootle (Peter Dowd MP) on 7 November to Question 74729.

Dental Services

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what scope integrated care boards will have to determine Centres of Dental Activity within their area after April 2023.

Neil O'Brien: NHS England plans to delegate commissioning responsibility to integrated care boards (ICB) for dental services from April 2023. ICBs may consider utilisation of Centres for Dental Development where appropriate locally.

Dental Health

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he expects integrated care boards to take responsibility for delivery of population-based oral health care from April 2023.

Neil O'Brien: Integrated care boards (ICBs) may commission some oral health care services such as dentistry. Since July 2022, some ICBs have taken on delegated responsibility for the commissioning of one or more primary medical services, including dental services. NHS England plans to delegate commissioning responsibility to all remaining ICBs for all pharmaceutical, general ophthalmic and dental services from April 2023.

Sickle Cell Diseases: Health Services

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department intends to publish a Sickle Cell Action Plan.

Neil O'Brien: We are working with health and care organisations to explore how we can continue to protect the health of those with sickle cell disease.

Pharmacy: Recruitment

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the recruitment of clinical pharmacists into primary care networks on the community pharmacy workforce.

Neil O'Brien: The Department and NHS England are monitoring the impact of the recruitment of clinical pharmacists to general practice and Primary Care Networks under the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. NHS England is working with community pharmacy employers to provide support and ensure the delivery of high quality pharmaceutical services.

Dental Services: Contracts

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he will take to ensure that the new NHS dental contract will not have a negative effect on trends in the levels of dentists.

Neil O'Brien: NHS England negotiated amendments to the National Health Service dental contract with the British Dental Association and other stakeholders, which are supported by the sector. Improvements came into effect in November 2022, which will ensure dentists are more fairly remunerated for NHS care delivered, make NHS dentistry a more attractive place to work and improve access for patients. In addition, dentists have supported the use of dental care professionals to diversify the skills available in the dental team. NHS England is holding further discussions involving the British Dental Association and other stakeholders and additional reforms are planned next year.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of faecal calprotectin tests that were issued in primary care settings in the last 12 months; and whether his Department has taken recent steps to encourage the use of faecal calprotectin in primary care settings to facilitate the referral of people with suspected inflammatory bowel disease.

Helen Whately: There are no plans to make a specific estimate. To facilitate the referral of people with suspected inflammatory bowel disease, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published evidence-based recommendations on the use of faecal calprotectin tests, which is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/dg11

Public Health: Per Capita Costs

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much public health funding per head was allocated to (a) the City of York Council (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) England  in each financial year since 2019-2020.

Neil O'Brien: The following table shows the Public Health Grant allocation in the City of York, Yorkshire and Humber and England, per capita, in each year since 2019/20. Area2019/202020/212021/222022/23City of York£37.0£38.0£38.6£39.6Yorkshire and Humber£59.1£61.4£61.9£63.4England£54.9£57.2£57.6£58.8

HIV Infection: Drugs

Holly Mumby-Croft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps with the UKHSA to improve national monitoring and data collection on eligibility for, and uptake of PrEP.

Neil O'Brien: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) works with sexual health services in England to support the reporting and improve the quality of data on eligibility and uptake of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The UKHSA has developed a monitoring and evaluation framework to support local authorities and other stakeholders with the delivery of PrEP. The framework is based on the World Health Organization’s implementation tool for PrEP and aims to inform continuous service improvement in commissioning and delivery using existing data sources to identify and reduce potential health inequalities. The framework is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hiv-pre-exposure-prophylaxis-prep-monitoring-and-evaluation

HIV Infection: Drugs

Holly Mumby-Croft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he will implement a national PrEP Action Plan as part of the HIV Action Plan.

Neil O'Brien: Through the implementation of the HIV Action Plan, we are considering how to improve equitable access to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for all population groups and in settings outside of specialist sexual health services. We are currently gathering evidence to understand why some population groups who would benefit from PrEP are under-represented and to identify potential barriers to access. The evidence will be considered by the PrEP Access and Equity Task and Finish group and will inform the development of a plan to improve PrEP access and equity in due course.

Integrated Care Boards: Standards

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that integrated care boards set realistic priorities.

Helen Whately: The Health and Care Act 2022 requires integrated care boards to prepare a forward plan with local National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts on how its functions will be exercised in the next five years. NHS England will publish guidance on the development of these plans shortly.

Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, what plans they have to (a) revoke, (b) replace or (c) retain the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006.

Neil O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 December 2022 to Question 102910.

Spondyloarthritis

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the diagnosis time for people with Axial Spondyloarthritis (a) in the Congleton constituency and (b) nationally.

Helen Whately: NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time programme has worked with the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society to create a pathway to support clinicians to improve the diagnosis of Axial Spondyloarthritis, including in Congleton. The pathway is available at the following link:https://www.actonaxialspa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Rheumatology-Axial-Spondyloarthritis-Pathway.pdf

Respiratory System: Health Services

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has taken recent steps to reduce inequalities in outcomes affecting patients with respiratory conditions.

Helen Whately: NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 programme aims to reduce inequalities in outcomes for chronic respiratory disease. NHS England is raising awareness of COVID-19, flu and pneumonia vaccinations disease management reviews for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease through the national Core20PLUS5 approach.

Pancreatic Cancer

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding to help decrease mortality rates for those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Helen Whately: We have allocated more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25, in addition to the £2 billion Elective Recovery Fund and £700 million Targeted Investment Fund already made available in 2021/2022 to increase elective activity, including in cancer services. In addition, the autumn statement provided an additional £3.3 billion in 2023/24 and 2024/25 to increase capacity in the National Health Service.

Department of Health and Social Care: UNISON

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the (a) number and (b) dates of meetings that Ministers in his Department have had with UNISON in the last three months.

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the (a) number and (b) dates of meetings that Ministers in his Department have had with Unite the Union in the last three months.

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the (a) number and (b) dates of meetings that Ministers in his Department have had with the GMB union in the last three months.

Will Quince: Ministerial meetings are published on GOV.UK at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-overseas-travel-and-meetings#2022

Valsartan: Leeds North West

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the availability of Valsartan 80mg in Leeds North West.

Will Quince: The information requested is not collected centrally. However, we confirm that there is currently sufficient stock to meet UK demand.

Palliative Care

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Marie Curie’s report entitled Better End of Life published on of 17 November 2022, which noted more than 780,000 out-of-hours visits to emergency departments by people at the end of life in a single year, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to out-of-hours end of life care for people with a terminal illness.

Helen Whately: Local commissioners are responsible for ensuring access to palliative and end of life care for people with a terminal illness, including out of hours. NHS England has published statutory guidance to support commissioners with implementation of the Health and Care Act 2022 and to define how services should meet population needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Palliative Care: Telephone Services

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to 24/7 palliative care telephone advice lines for people with a terminal illness and their carers.

Helen Whately: No specific assessment has been made. Local commissioners are responsible for ensuring access to palliative and end of life care. NHS England has published statutory guidance to support commissioners with implementation of the Health and Care Act 2022 and to define how services should meet population needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Parkinson's Disease

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people in the UK suffer with Parkinson's Disease as of January 2022.

Helen Whately: The information requested is not held centrally.

Social Services: Fees and Charges

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of people affected by the two year postponement of the introduction of the social care cap.

Helen Whately: The Department’s impact assessment published during the consultation for this reform indicated that should this be deployed in October 2023, an additional 57,500 adult care users would receive some local authority funded support towards their care costs in October 2023. This consists of 50,000 older adults and 7,500 adults aged under 65 years old.

Palliative Care: Telephone Services

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of access to 24/7 palliative care telephone advice lines for people with a terminal illness and their carers in terms of wellbeing and reducing distress.

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has for the implications of his policies of the Marie Curie’s Better End of Life Report of 17 November 2022, entitled Mind the gaps: understanding and improving out-of-hours care for people with advanced illness and their informal carers; and if he will take steps to establish a 24/7 palliative care telephone advice line in every part of the country.

Helen Whately: No specific assessment has been made. Local commissioners are responsible for ensuring access to palliative and end of life care. NHS England has published statutory guidance to support commissioners with implementation of the Health and Care Act 2022 and to define how services should meet population needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Malaria: Vaccination

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the malaria vaccine RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) will be available on the NHS.

Maria Caulfield: There are no plans to provide this vaccine through the National Health Service.

Endometriosis: Health Services

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment tools his Department has in place to analyse the impact on those with endometriosis.

Maria Caulfield: The impact of endometriosis on individuals is assessed by clinicians. The call for evidence for the Women’s Health Strategy sought information on gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis. This informed the development of the Strategy, which has prioritised menstrual health and gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis.

Health Services: Domestic Abuse

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Women’s Health Strategy for England published 20 July 2022, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for victims of domestic abuse.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care works with the Home Office and Ministry of Justice on improving provision of support for victims of domestic abuse. This includes the Domestic Abuse Plan, the Health and Care Act 2022 and the forthcoming Victims Bill to ensure alignment between integrated care services and victim support services for survivors of domestic abuse.

Health Services: Females

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the NHS has the (a) capacity and (b) funding to deliver on the Women's Health Strategy.

Maria Caulfield: The Government is investing an additional £3.3 billion in 2023/24 and 2024/25 to support the National Health Service in England and increase capacity.

Health Services: Females

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to engage with the Violence Against Women and Girls sector on the delivery of the Women's Health Strategy.

Maria Caulfield: The Department and NHS England continue to engage with representatives from the violence against women and girls (VAWG) sector on the delivery of the VAWG commitments in the Women’s Health Strategy.

Surgical Mesh Implants

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of waiting times at Specialist Mesh Centres.

Maria Caulfield: No specific assessment has been made. However, NHS England advises that in the nine specialist mesh centres in England from April 2021 to October 2022, 1,913 patients were referred for treatment, 393 patients received surgery, 192 were on the surgical waiting list and 136 patients selected non-surgical treatment. The average waiting time for a first outpatient appointment in this time period was 15 weeks and the average waiting time for surgery was 23 weeks.

Diphtheria

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the procurement agreement reached by the UK Health and Security Agency with Instituto Butantan on 29 July 2022, contract reference C96116, what was the nature of the incident that led to the procurement exercise; where in the UK did that incident take place; and what was the impact of that incident on the number of vials of diphtheria antitoxin held in the national stockpile.

Maria Caulfield: The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) routine procurement exercise for diphtheria antitoxin, contract reference C96116, was to replace expiring stock in the national stockpile and at National Health Service holding centres. UKHSA holds a small stock of diphtheria antitoxin to replenish National Health Service holding centres when the antitoxin is clinically indicated for use. The centrally held stock is replenished as required when stock is either issued to holding centres or expires. The antitoxin is rarely used in the United Kingdom.

Mental Health: Domestic Abuse

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to understand the impact of domestic abuse on the mental health of Black and minority women.

Maria Caulfield: The Department and NHS England regularly engage with organisations supporting the victims of domestic abuse, including those representing black and minority women. Integrated care boards (ICBs) are required to set out how the needs of victims of abuse will be addressed in joint forward plans. NHS England is currently producing guidance to assist ICBs to develop these plans. The Government launched a 12-week public call for evidence on long term measures to support mental health, wellbeing and suicide prevention, which closed on 7 July 2022. We are currently considering over 5,000 submissions received from stakeholders.

Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Independent Review

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide an update on plans for financial redress for those harmed by (a) mesh implants, (b) Primodos and (c) Sodium Valproate.

Maria Caulfield: The Government’s response to the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review did not accept the recommendation to establish separate redress schemes. We have worked with NHS Resolution to launch online claims gateways to support patients who may wish to bring a clinical negligence claim in relation to pelvic mesh and sodium valproate. We are improving the safety of medicines and medical devices through high standards for industry to market and manufacture products with the aim of reducing harm in future.

Surgical Mesh Implants

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to undertake a retrospective audit of mesh as called for in Baronness Cumberlege's First Do No Harm, The report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review.

Maria Caulfield: We accepted the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review’s recommendation to undertake a selective retrospective audit of a defined cohort of women who have undergone mesh procedures. NHS Digital has undertaken an audit of all pelvic floor surgery completed in 2010 to generate a historical baseline of outcomes by procedure type and to support further research and analysis. This audit was conducted using Hospital Episode Statistics data and other data using the identified National Health Service cohort of patients and the longitudinal record to observe outcomes where possible. The audit has been completed and is undergoing peer review prior to publication in 2023.

Endometriosis: Diagnosis and Medical Treatments

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure implementation of NICE Guideline (73) Endometriosis: diagnosis and management; and if he will commission an analysis of the provision of and barriers to endometriosis care.

Maria Caulfield: On 3 November 2022, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) confirmed that it will update sections in its guideline on diagnosing endometriosis, surgical management and surgical management, if fertility is a priority. We will work with NICE on its five-year strategy to ensure that guidelines can be implemented and are accessible to healthcare professionals and commissioners of local services. NICE’s guidelines describe best practice, which healthcare professionals are expected to take into account in the care and treatment of patients. However, these guidelines are not mandatory and do not override a clinician’s responsibility to make appropriate decisions for individual patients. There are no current plans to commission a specific analysis. The call for evidence for the Women’s Health Strategy sought information on gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis. This information was considered in the development of the Strategy.

Health

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December to Question 99757, what the reason is for the delay in publishing the Department's response.

Maria Caulfield: We are ensuring the response represents the latest Government position on the recommendations made by the Committee and we have written to the Chair to explain the delay.

Fertility: Health Services

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken since the publication of the Women’s Health Strategy to address the geographical variation in access to NHS funded fertility services across England.

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what meetings he has had with stakeholders on improving the geographical variation in access to NHS funded fertility services across England; and if he will publish minutes of those meetings.

Maria Caulfield: Further information on the implementation of the Women’s Health Strategy’s ambitions to improve the variations in access to National Health Service-funded fertility services will be available in due course. There have been no specific meetings since the publication of the Strategy.

Hernias: Medical Treatments

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on guidelines for hernias.

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact on public health of the omission in National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines of herina types not listed.

Will Quince: There have been no specific discussions and no such assessment has been made. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has issued guidance for some procedures relevant to hernias, which makes recommendations on whether procedures are sufficiently safe and efficacious for routine use in clinical practice.

Streptococcus: Babies

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of liquid penicillin to treat babies with Strep A.

Will Quince: Supplies of antibiotics as oral suspensions are available, however there has been a particularly sharp increase in demand in the past week which has meant that some pharmacies are having difficulties obtaining certain antibiotics.The Department is working urgently with manufacturers and wholesalers to explore what can be done to expedite deliveries and bring forward stock they have to help ensure it gets to where it is needed, to meet demand as quickly as possible and support access to these vital medicines.

Halton Clinical Commissioning Group: Staff

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many staff employed by Halton clinical commissioning group have (a) still to find permanent jobs and (b) left NHS employment since it was abolished in July.

Will Quince: This information is not held in the format requested.

NHS: Staff

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consultation he plans to carry out with third-sector organisations on the NHS workforce plan.

Will Quince: The NHS Long Term Plan is currently being developed by NHS England and they are engaging with a broad range of stakeholders in developing this plan. The Government has committed to publishing a workforce plan next year and this will include independently verified forecasts for the number of doctors, nurses and other professionals that will be needed in five, 10 and 15 years’ time, taking full account of improvements in retention and productivity.

NHS: Staff

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a funding settlement for funding the workforce elements of the NHS in the forthcoming NHS workforce plan announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn Statement.

Will Quince: The Government has committed to publishing a workforce plan next year, which will include independently verified forecasts for the number of healthcare professionals required in future years, taking full account of improvements in retention and productivity. Funding plans beyond the current Spending Review period will be subject to the outcome of future Spending Reviews.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 16 November 2022 to Question 83513 on Coronavirus: Vaccination, for what reasons covid-19 vaccines which have a conditional marketing  authorisation such as (a) Spikevax, Moderna, (b) Spikevax bivalent, Moderna, (c) Comirnaty bivalent, Pfizer-BioNTech and (d) Novavax, Nuvaxovid can continue to be used now that the Comirnaty vaccine has full marketing authorisation.

Maria Caulfield: The granting of a full Marketing Authorisation for one product does not affect the Conditional Marketing Authorisations (CMA) of others. CMAs are used for products which prevent or treat serious and life-threatening diseases where no satisfactory treatment methods are available or where the product offers a significant therapeutic advantage. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency may grant a CMA where comprehensive clinical data is not yet complete although it is judged that such data will become available shortly.

Integrated Care Boards: Dentistry

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of having representatives of dentists on integrated care boards.

Neil O'Brien: The Health and Care Act 2022 sets out minimum membership requirement of integrated care boards (ICBs), which includes representatives of National Health Service trusts, primary care and local authorities. However, by local agreement ICBs can supplement the legislative minimum requirements in order to address local needs.

NHS: Staff

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the forthcoming NHS workforce plan announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn Statement will be published.

Will Quince: The Government has committed to publishing a workforce plan next year, which will include independently verified forecasts for the number of healthcare professionals required in future years.

Dental Health

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to (a) move towards a preventative model of care for dentistry and (b) bring forward a public awareness campaign on oral health.

Neil O'Brien: NHS England will engage with stakeholder representatives from dental professional groups on potential solutions to the challenges facing National Health Service dentistry and how these could be implemented. This engagement will be focused on improving urgent care access; supporting access for new patients; re-orientating the system towards prevention; and dental team recruitment and retention and assisting dental teams to feel part of the NHS. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has published ‘Delivering Better Oral Health - an evidence-based toolkit for prevention’ to support dental teams to deliver preventive advice and treatment for patients, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-better-oral-health-an-evidence-based-toolkit-for-prevention

Dentistry: Migrant Workers

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department is taking steps to increase the number of dentists from the EU coming to the UK to help fill dentist vacancies.

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to increase the number of dentists from overseas to help fill gaps in dentistry in the UK.

Neil O'Brien: The Department has worked with the General Dental Council (GDC) to develop and consult on legislative proposals to allow GDC greater flexibility to amend its existing international registration processes and explore alternative pathways. Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Department aims to introduce the legislative changes in early 2023. As the independent regulator, the GDC will determine how these flexibilities can be used.

Junior Doctors

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will commission a national survey on junior doctor welfare including the provision of catering for on call staff.

Will Quince: There are no plans to do so. National Health Service trusts are responsible for the provision of catering facilities for staff. Health Education England is delivering the Enhancing Junior Doctors’ Working Lives programme to address issues affecting the quality of life of doctors in postgraduate training.

Hospitals: Construction

Naz Shah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps when setting the criteria for selecting the final eight schemes for the New Hospitals to promote the Government's levelling up agenda.

Will Quince: We are currently assessing 128 expressions of interest received for the eight new hospitals and will consider a range of national and regional healthcare priorities and indicators.

Department for Education

Free School Meals

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to analysis by Child Poverty Action Group, published in June 2022, what steps he is taking to help ensure that all children defined as living in poverty are guaranteed access to healthy meals at school.

Nick Gibb: The Department continues to monitor the consequences of the rising cost of living and is working with other Government Departments to provide support.The Department will continue to keep Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility under review, ensuring that these meals are supporting those who need them most. The Department believes that the current threshold is the right one, which enables pupils to benefit from FSM, while remaining affordable and deliverable for schools.The latest published statistics show that around 1.9 million pupils are claiming FSM. This equates to 22.5% of all pupils, up from 20.8% in 2021. Together with a further 1.25 million infants supported through the Universal Infant Free School Meal policy, 37.5% of school children are now provided with FSM.

Schools: Finance

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of real-terms changes in school budgets due to the impact of inflation.

Nick Gibb: The 2022 Autumn Statement announced significant additional investment in schools. The core schools budget will increase by £2 billion in both 2023/24 and 2024/25. This is over and above totals announced at Spending Review 2021. This year, schools' funding is £4 billion higher than last year, rising by another £3.5 billion in 2023. Taken together, that means a 15% increase in funding in two years. The Institute for Fiscal Studies have said that this additional funding will fully cover expected increases in school costs up to 2024, and will take per pupil spending back to at least 2010 levels in real terms.The additional funding will enable head teachers to continue to concentrate funding in the areas that the Department knows has a positive effect on educational attainment, including high quality teaching and targeted support to the children who need it most, as well as help schools to manage higher costs, including higher energy bills and staff pay awardsThe Department also provides a range of school resource management tools, designed to help schools get the best value from their resources, and help direct funding towards improving outcomes for their pupils.The Department understands that each school’s circumstances are different. Where schools are in serious financial difficulty, they should contact their Local Authority or the Education and Skills Funding Agency.

Financial Services: Education

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to help improve the financial literacy of (a) young people and (b) the wider population.

Nick Gibb: Financial education supports young people to manage their money well, make sound financial decisions, and know where to seek further information when needed.Financial education is included in the National Curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4 but can be taught by all schools at all Key Stages. Pupils should be taught the functions and uses of money, the importance of personal budgeting, money management, and managing financial risk. At secondary school, pupils should be educated on income and expenditure, credit and debt, insurance, savings and pensions, financial products and services, and the need to understand financial risk, including any emerging financial trends.The mathematics curriculum includes an emphasis on the essential arithmetic that primary pupils should be taught. A grasp of mathematics underpins pupils’ ability to manage budgets and money. This includes, for example, using percentages. The secondary mathematics curriculum develops pupils’ understanding in relation to more complex personal finance issues, such as calculating loan repayments, interest rates, and compound interest.In November 2021, the Money and Pensions Service published financial education guidance for primary and secondary schools in England to support head teachers. The guidance is available at: https://maps.org.uk/2021/11/11/financial-education-guidance-for-primary-and-secondary-schools-in-england/.The Department and the Money and Pensions Service are planning a series of joint financial education webinars during this academic year. These are aimed at promoting the importance of financial education, improving pupils’ understanding, and improving teachers' confidence.

Fuel Poverty: Pupils and Students

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has she made of the potential relationship between levels of educational attainment and families (a) in fuel poverty and (b) dependent on pre-payment meters.

Nick Gibb: The Department understands that disadvantaged pupils generally face additional challenges in reaching their potential at school and often do not perform as well as other pupils.The latest evidence shows that disadvantaged pupils have fallen further behind their peers across Key Stages 1, 2 and 4 compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.The Department’s programmes are targeted towards the most disadvantaged pupils. The National Tutoring Programme, the 16-19 Tuition Fund and the Recovery Premium form part of the Department’s multi-year recovery package.Schools also continue to receive the Pupil Premium in the 2022/23 financial year worth over £2.6 billion. This enables schools to provide extra support for disadvantaged pupils to improve their academic and personal achievements.The Department has re-endowed the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) with funding worth £137 million. This will allow the EEF to continue producing and disseminating evidence to raise the attainment of children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. From the start of the 2022/23 academic year, schools must use their Pupil Premium funding in line with the Department’s published ‘menu of approaches’, which draws on EEF evidence to ensure that spending is focused on raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils.The Government is also providing support to families with rising energy costs, including a £400 discount to all eligible households on their energy bill this autumn and winter. The Energy Price Guarantee will continue to shield households, including those with pre-payment meters, from unprecedented energy costs.

Domestic Abuse

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of mandatory education on domestic abuse and coercive control for all young people aged 16 to 19 in post-16 education.

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to ensure all young people aged 16-19 enrolled in post-16 education receive mandatory Relationships and Sex Education covering domestic abuse and coercive control.

Robert Halfon: The department does not provide a national curriculum for post-16 students beyond key stage 4. However, post-16 providers have the flexibility to offer aspects of Relationships, Sex and Health education, including content on domestic abuse and coercive control, and should support students to access the information and support they need to have positive relationships and sexual experiences.The Ofsted Further Education and Skills inspection handbook includes personal development as part of its judgements, which includes ‘developing an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships through appropriate relationship and sex education’.

Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Justice: Charter Flights

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2022 to Question 73001 on Ministry of Justice: Charter Flights, how many departmental (a) officials and (b) special advisers accompanied the Rt. Hon Member for Esher and Walton on each of those flights.

Mike Freer: The Deputy Prime Minister was accompanied by six Ministry of Justice officials, a government photographer, and two Special Advisers. This delegation accompanied the Deputy Prime Minister to support him in his important meetings with the International Criminal Court and international partners regarding accountability for war crimes in Ukraine. All nine were present on both outbound and return flights, and included in the published flight cost.

Powers of Entry: Meters

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment the Government has made of the impact on vulnerable people of the batch approval of warrants for forcible installation of pre-payment meters.

Mike Freer: The relevant legislation sets out the matters of which the justice must be satisfied. As these criteria are limited, the information which must be provided to the court is identical in each case where the applicant intends to use the warrant to enforce their right to enter to install a pre-payment meter. It follows that the impact on vulnerable people would be unchanged if this information were to be provided individually, one case at a time.

Ministry of Justice: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2022 to Question 61812, what work was being carried out by staff while staying at (a) Elizabeth Beach Reso, (b) La Playa Hotel, (c) La Vue and (d) Simpson Bay Resort; and if he will provide a breakdown by the grade of the staff members staying in each accommodation.

Mike Freer: The payments made to the merchants ‘ELIZABETH BEACH RESORT’, ‘LA PLAYA HOTEL’, ‘LA VUE’ and ‘SIMPSON BAY RESORT’ were accommodation costs for two staff members in His Majesty Prisons and Probation Operational Response and Resilience Unit (ORRU) during a deployment to Anguilla, British Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands. The work was commissioned through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and funded by the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund.The purpose of the visit was to conduct an emergency response assessment of prisons in the British Overseas Territories in the event of HMPPS being required to support the OTs in future emergency situations similar to those experienced in 2017 following a hurricane in the British Virgin Islands. The work was completed by two members of staff at Band 11 and Band 8.All hotels booked were from approved lists provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office and we are content that the referenced payments were also subject to normal MoJ controls and in line with government procurement card policy and was an appropriate use of public money.

Ministry of Justice: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2022 to Question 61812 on Electronic Purchasing Card Solution, what sports were the subject of the courses provided by Julianmello between 29 March and 24 June 2021.

Mike Freer: The activity relating to these transactions was through a registered company called ‘Energize’ which were paid for via the company’s accountant.The programme seeks to apply exercise led intervention strategies for prisoners. Each programme involves 6 sessions, spread over 6 weeks with daily activities following the led sessions. Programmes are adapted to specific age groups and conditions if required, they are firstly delivered by the company and then become prisoner led. The course uses a combination of physical and mental activities such as the use of reflective journals, circuit training and body weight exercises.By guiding and supporting their peers through exercise led interventions prisoners improve their own mental health and overall wellbeing. Purposeful activity such as this is designed to help reduce reoffending and save taxpayers money.

Prisoners' Release: Sexual Offences

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of sexual assaults committed by individuals on temporary release since 2010.

Edward Argar: We are unable to answer this question within cost limits as the required detail may not be on the prison NOMIS system in all cases. To obtain a robust estimate would require linking to and checking police records for all prisoners in scope to identify whether they have committed a sexual offence (or sexual offences), and this could only be done at disproportionate cost.By providing opportunities to work, learn and build family ties, temporary release from prison helps ensure offenders don't return to crime when they leave prison. Evidence shows the vast majority abide by their temporary release conditions, with the compliance rate standing at well over 99%. Non-compliance is, and will continue to be, dealt with robustly.

Treasury

VAT: Registration

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many VAT de-registrations took place in VAT quarter (a) one, (b) two and (c) three of 2022.

Victoria Atkins: The number of successful VAT de-registrations for the first three quarters of 2022 is set out in the table below. Year2022Q177095Q270990Q364672Total212757

Energy: Tax Allowances

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 30 November 2022 to Question 93499 on Energy: Taxation, what estimate he has made of the value of the tax reliefs allowed for.

Victoria Atkins: Estimates of the cost of tax reliefs used by oil and gas companies under the Ring Fenced Corporation Tax (RFCT) and Petroleum Revenue Tax (PRT) regimes are published at tax relief statistics gov.uk (www.gov.uk). Future releases of these statistics will likely include estimates for first year capital allowances and the investment allowance for the new Energy Profits Levy, once outturn data is available. The estimates in these statistics do not take account of any behavioural effects that would result from removing the reliefs.

HMRC: Complaints

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason HMRC does not permit complaints against it to be made by email.

Victoria Atkins: The main risks associated with using email that concern HMRC are:Confidentiality and privacy, as there is a risk that emails sent over the internet may be intercepted.Confirmation of identity, as it is crucial that HMRC only communicate with established contacts at their correct email addresses.That there is no guarantee that an email received over an insecure network like the internet has not been altered during transit.That attachments could contain a virus or malicious code.

VAT: Registration

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many VAT de-registrations took place by VAT quarter in (a) 2015, (b) 2016, (c) 2017, (d) 2018, (e) 2019, (f) 2020 and (g) 2021.

Victoria Atkins: The data requested is set out in the table below. Number of Successful De-registrations made In YearYear201620172018201920202021Q1n/a7282254464705795679150266Q2461438438056799656624530867064Q3470685639445351496094997249528Q4452524902660750531554819352167   Total138463262622217364239005200264219025

Mortgage Guarantee Scheme

Mick Whitley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme for new mortgage applications to after 31 December 2022.

Andrew Griffith: The Government continues to keep policy under review, and remains committed to supporting people of all incomes and at all stages of life to making the aspiration of home ownership a reality for as many households as possible. The Mortgage Guarantee Scheme – launched in April 2021 – continues to support homebuyers and movers with deposits as small as 5%. To date, the scheme has directly helped over 24,000 households to buy their homes, 85% of which have been by first-time buyers.

Fraud: Coronavirus

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether protocols have been agreed with (a) his Department, (b) the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, (c) the British Business Bank and (d) commercial lenders on taking steps to pursue fraud in the Government's covid-19 loan schemes.

Andrew Griffith: The Government has always been clear that fraud within the Covid-19 loan schemes is unacceptable and that those who have defrauded the government may be subject to both criminal and commercial recovery efforts. We are taking action against those who defrauded the Schemes by working across Government, law enforcement, counter-fraud agencies, and commercial lenders. Scheme rules, as well as subsequent guidance based on continued engagement with lenders, spell out lenders’ obligations in this regard. Under the Schemes there was a range of checks to minimise fraud upfront, and lenders continue to work closely with government agencies to identify and pursue fraud within the scheme, minimising losses to the taxpayer as far as possible. The BBB's audit programme evaluates the effectiveness of a range of lender processes and procedures. Where issues are identified the BBB can take remedial action with the lender. As announced in the Spring Statement 2022, the Government is funding this continued counter-fraud action – with £13mn allocated to the National Investigation Service to double their investigative capacity on Bounce Back Loans and fund enforcement activity building on the Cabinet Office data analytics programme, as well as £11mn to the British Business Bank to boost their counter fraud and assurance programme.

Banks: Urban Areas

Catherine West: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing bank hubs on high streets for those unable to use internet banking.

Andrew Griffith: The government believes that all customers, wherever they live, should have appropriate access to banking services. Banks are investing in new shared hubs that enable personal and business banking customers to access services such as depositing cheques, checking their balance and withdrawing and depositing cash. To date, industry has committed to shared bank hubs in 29 locations across the UK. Bank hubs also offer a dedicated space where customers can see community bankers from their own bank, where it is participating. The first post pilot phase bank hubs have opened in Brixham (Devon) and Cottingham (Yorkshire). The locations of bank hub sites are recommended by LINK (which operates the UK’s largest ATM network). In the event of a closure of a core cash service or request from a local community, LINK will undertake an assessment of the community’s access to cash needs. LINK takes into account relevant information such as the size of the population, number of shops, demographic data and the nearest alternative services. In circumstances where LINK considers that a community requires additional cash services, industry will ensure a suitable shared solution for all cash users in that community, such as a bank hub or ATM. There are also alternative options to access banking services for those who cannot use internet banking, including via telephone banking and via the Post Office.

Members: Correspondence

Paul Maynard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Blackpool North and Cleveleys of 12 September 2022 on taxation on children’s footwear.

Victoria Atkins: A response was sent to Paul Maynard MP on 11 October and a further copy has been sent to him on 6 December.

Fuel Poverty: Sickle Cell Diseases

Janet Daby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will have discussions with Cabinet colleagues on increasing Government support for (a) fuel and (b) other costs for people with sickle cell disease during winter 2022.

John Glen: The Government recognises that the rising cost of living has presented additional financial challenges to many people, and especially to the most vulnerable members of society, such as disabled people and people with long-term health conditions, like sickle cell disease. That is why the Government is taking decisive action to support households while ensuring we act in a fiscally responsible way.At Autumn Statement 2022, the Government announced that it will provide a further Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 in 2023/24 to people in receipt of extra-costs disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA). This is additional to the £150 payment for recipients of disability benefits in 2022 already announced as part of the Cost of Living package in May. These payments can be received in addition to the other Cost of Living Payments for households on means-tested benefits, namely the £650 payment announced in May and the additional £900 payment announced at Autumn Statement. Individuals who have limited or no ability to work because of their disability or long-term health condition, and are in receipt of means-tested benefits such as income-related Employment and Support Allowance or the Universal Credit Health top up, are eligible for this support. Disabled people and people with long-term health conditions such as sickle cell disease will also benefit from other forms of non-means-tested support which the Government is providing to assist with household energy bills. We have taken decisive action to support millions of households with rising energy costs through the Energy Price Guarantee, ​which limits the price suppliers can charge customers for units of gas and electricity. In addition to the Energy Price Guarantee, millions of the most vulnerable households will receive further support this year through the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme. The £150 Council Tax rebate will also mean that all households in Council Tax bands A-D will receive a rebate, and 99% of eligible households have already received this.

NHS: Energy

Feryal Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the NHS will receive financial support for energy costs beyond 31 March 2023.

John Glen: Public sector bodies, including the NHS, have benefitted from a discount on wholesale gas and electricity through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) over the winter period. The outcome of a HMT-led review to determine support for UK non-domestic energy consumers after March 2023 will be published by the end of 2022. The Autumn Statement confirmed additional funding for the NHS of £3.3bn in each of the next two financial years in recognition of the additional cost pressures the service is facing, including from energy costs. The Chief Executive of the NHS, Amanda Pritchard, has said that the new funding being made available to the NHS is sufficient to fulfil NHS key priorities and shows the government is serious about its commitments to prioritise the NHS.

Treasury: Theft

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many of his Department's (a) laptops, (b) mobile phones, (c) memory sticks and (d) external hard drives have been lost or stolen in each of the last five years.

James Cartlidge: The numbers of (a) laptops, (b) mobile phones, (c) memory sticks and (d) external hard drives that have been lost or stolen in each of the last five years are provided in the table below  20182019202020212022Laptops Lost67137Laptops Stolen129587Mobile Phones Lost232812551Mobile Phones Stolen731110Memory Sticks Lost76000Memory Sticks Stolen00000External hard drives Lost00000External hard drives Stolen00000

Car Allowances: Self-employed

Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing in line with inflation the rate per mile that self-employed people can claim on their vehicle usage.

James Cartlidge: Self-employed people can get tax relief for fuel and other business motoring expenses using either the simplified mileage rate or by claiming capital allowances and actual expenses. The mileage rate is an easier way of calculating the costs of owning and running a vehicle for tax purposes, intended to balance accuracy with administrative simplicity for businesses by using an average. This means that the rate will be more appropriate for some drivers than for others. The simplified mileage rate is designed to reflect vehicle running costs including fuel, depreciation, servicing, insurance, and Vehicle Excise Duty and in setting the rate the Government uses information from a variety of sources. As with all taxes, simplified mileage rates are kept under review and any changes are considered and announced by the Chancellor at fiscal events.

Cost of Living: Huddersfield

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had discussions with representatives of charities operating in Huddersfield on the impact of the cost of living crisis on residents of that town in the last 12 months.

James Cartlidge: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel The government has announced further support in the Autumn Statement for next year designed to target the most vulnerable households. This cost of living support is worth £26 billion in 2023-24, in addition to benefits uprating, which is worth £11 billion to working age households and people with disabilities. This support for 2023-24 is in addition to the generous support already in place to support households this winter.

Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing (a) beer duty and (b) other alcohol duties for pubs.

James Cartlidge: The Government keeps the duty rates under review during its yearly budget process and aims to balance the impact on businesses with its public health objectives. The alcohol duty uprating decision and interactions with the wider reforms to alcohol duties will be considered in due course.

Treasury: Bullying

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the number of staff who have been subject to (a) sexual harassment and (b) bullying in his Department in each year since 2018.

James Cartlidge: The Cabinet Office publishes results from the Civil Service People Survey on GOV.UK on behalf of all participating organisations in the survey. The findings include the proportion of staff responding to the survey who indicated to have been bullied and or harassed at work in the past 12 months (b) and, among those, whether they have been subject to sexual harassment (a). This would include sexual comments or jokes, unwelcome sexual advances, touching or assault. The figures from the 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 Civil Service People Surveys can be found at:2021 results: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-survey-2021-results 2020 results: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-survey-2020-results 2019 results: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-survey-2019-results 2018 results: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-survey-2018-results The Civil Service has a zero tolerance approach to bullying, harassment and discrimination. Those found to be bullying, and/or harassing and/or discriminating against employees or customers can face disciplinary procedures including charges of gross misconduct leading to dismissal. Bullying, harassment and discrimination are in direct conflict with the Civil Service values of honesty, objectivity, impartiality and integrity. It is important that all employees feel respected and treated fairly within the workplace.HM Treasury has HR policies and processes in place for reporting and resolving cases of bullying, harassment and discrimination.

Treasury: Energy Performance Certificates

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the energy performance certificate rating is for each building (a) rented and (b) owned by his Department as of 7 December 2022.

James Cartlidge: HM Treasury does not hold information within the scope of your request. All offices occupied by HM Treasury are managed by either the Government Property Agency or HM Revenue and Customs.

Development Aid: Asylum

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much of the (a) £1 billion in 2022-23 and (b) £1.5 billion in 2023-24 allocated from Treasury reserves to fund asylum processing and refugee hosting costs will be reported as Official Development Assistance as a (i) gross figure, (ii) proportion of the £2.5 billion allocation and (c) proportion of eligible Official Development Assistance costs.

John Glen: Over the past 12 months the government has acted decisively and compassionately to support the people of Ukraine and Afghanistan to escape oppression and conflict and find refuge in the UK. The government is providing additional resources of £1 billion in 2022-24 and £1.5 billion in 2023-24 to help meet the significant and unanticipated costs which have been incurred. These additional resources are all Official Development Assistance (ODA). Funding will be provided through the Reserve and has not yet been allocated to departments; final allocations will be made through the Estimates process. The UK’s ODA spending will be reported in the annual Statistics on International Development publication.

Tobacco: Smuggling

Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what dedicated funds have been made available to (a) HM Revenue & Customs, (b) Border Force and (c) Trading Standards to prevent the sale of illegal tobacco in each financial year since 2018-19.

James Cartlidge: The Government has dedicated significant resource to tackling illicit tobacco and has set out its approach to doing so in successive strategies dating back to 2000. These strategies have been highly effective in reducing the illicit trade for cigarettes from 22% in 2000-01 to 9% in 2020-21, and for hand-rolling tobacco from 61% to 34% in the same period. Funding for tackling illegal tobacco is typically drawn from wider budgets and activities aimed at tackling illicit trade. However, at Budget 2020 the Government announced further resources to combat illicit tobacco, dedicating £1million over two years to ‘Operation CeCe’, a joint initiative between HMRC and National Trading Standards to tackle illicit trade at a local level.

Tobacco: Smuggling

Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have been prosecuted in relation to the manufacture, distribution and sale of illegal tobacco products by (a) HM Revenue & Customs, (b) Border Force and (c) Trading Standards in each financial year since 2018-19.

James Cartlidge: The Government does not maintain a central record of the total number of people prosecuted for manufacturing, distributing or selling illicit tobacco products, or a breakdown of prosecutions by agency.HMRC does publish annual data on the number of arrests, positive charging decisions1 and convictions2 as a result of its criminal investigations relating to tobacco. This can be found in its Outputs for tackling tobacco smuggling report. The figures since 2018-19 are below. Figures for 2021-22 are not yet available.Financial YearArrestsPositive charging decisionsConvictions2018-191403302782019-202152032612020-216111543 1During the life of a prosecution case a decision is made as to whether to charge a suspect or not.2Convictions do not necessarily relate to prosecutions started in this period, since outcomes to case will depend on the time taken for them to be processed through the judicial system.

Excise Duties and VAT: Tobacco

Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the potential (a) excise duty and (b) VAT lost due to the sale of illegal tobacco products in each financial year since 2018-19.

James Cartlidge: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) publishes annual estimates for the excise duty and VAT lost due to the sale of illegal tobacco as part of its Measuring Tax Gaps report. The figures since 2018-19 are below. Figures for 2021-22 are not yet available. Financial YearTax gap – duty and VAT (£ billion (bn))Excise Duty Gap (£bn)VAT gap (£bn)Percentage tax gap (Excise duty only)Percentage tax gap (duty and VAT)2018-2019£2.1£1.6£0.515%15%2019-2020£2.3£1.8£0.517%15%2020-2021£2.5£1.9£0.516%17% N.B. In cases where Excise duty gap (£bn) and VAT gap (£bn) do not sum to the total tax gap (£bn), this is due to rounding them individually to the nearest £100m.

Tobacco: Smuggling

Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many cigarettes have been seized by (a) HM Revenue & Customs, (b) Border Force and (c) Trading Standards in each financial year since 2018-19.

Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much hand rolling tobacco has been seized by (a) HM Revenue & Customs, (b) Border Force and (c) Trading Standards in each financial year since 2018-19.

James Cartlidge: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) publishes annual data on illicit tobacco seizures as part of its ‘Outputs for Tackling Tobacco Smuggling’ report. The figures for cigarette and hand-rolling tobacco seizures by HMRC and Border Force since 2018-19 are below. Figures for 2021-22 are not yet available. Trading Standards do not publish comprehensive data on the quantity of cigarettes or hand rolling tobacco they seize.Financial YearCigarette Seizures (sticks) (millions)HMRC OverseasBorder ForceHMRC Inland2018-19627.262883.82019-20575524.169.52020-21501.5514.3123.7 Financial YearHand-rolling tobacco Seizures (kilograms)HMRC OverseasBorder ForceHMRC Inland2018-19356126,29521,8452019-200115,78535,9012020-2126,25099,43423,909

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Academic Technology Approval Scheme

Joanna Cherry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Academic Technology Approval Scheme.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: So far in 2022 we have received over 49,000 ATAS applications, of which only 824 remain beyond their target processing time. In order to process these numbers, staffing has been increased and a significant IT upgrade is underway. ATAS continues to be an essential tool to prevent sensitive UK technology from reaching military programmes of concern.

Russia: LGBTQ+ People

Dame Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has had discussions with Russian LGBTQ+ activists and civil society on changes in Russian law affecting LGBTQ+ people in that country.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: We share the concerns of LGBT+ rights organizations and will continue to support them and other civil society groups in the face of bigotry and repression. With our international partners in the Equal Rights Coalition, we’ve made clear to Russia that we stand with LGBT+ Russians following these amendments.

Development Aid

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's development priorities of the pause on non-essential Official Development Assistance spending.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: During the pause, in view of the tight financial constraints we face,the FCDO prioritised work where failure to do so would have resulted in immediate threat to life and wellbeing.

Developing Countries: Equality

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help promote gender equality globally.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK remains committed to putting women and girls at the heart of its foreign and development policy. The International Development Strategy includes a UK priority to provide women and girls with the freedom they need to succeed. The FCDO will publish an International Women and Girls Strategy in 2023, setting out how we will use our diplomatic, trade, security and development levers to achieve gender equality.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme

Mary Kelly Foy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle delays in processing applications for the Academic Technology Approval Scheme.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: So far in 2022 we have received over 49,000 ATAS applications, of which only 824 remain beyond their target processing time. In order to process these numbers, staffing has been increased and a significant IT upgrade is underway.ATAS continues to be an essential tool to prevent sensitive UK technology from reaching military programmes of concern.

Russia: Energy Supply

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the impact of sanctions against Russia on global energy markets.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: We are working alongside the G7 to end reliance on Russian energy. We are also working with the international community to open up alternative sources of energy, ensuring market stability. We have introduced an oil price cap that is designed to enable countries to access the oil they need at affordable prices, and undermine Russia's ability to profit from inflated prices.

Gender Based Violence: Development Aid

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the proportion of the foreign aid budget allocated to programmes which prevent violence against women and girls.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has frequent discussions with the Minister for Development on the allocation of the foreign aid budget. The UK will focus spend according to the priorities set out in the International Development Strategy, which includes women and girls, while maximising the best value for money and our flexibility to respond to new or emerging priority issues. Last month, the UK hosted an international conference to drive urgent action to prevent sexual violence in conflict and announced £12.5 million new funding for this. We will be launching a new International Women and Girls Strategy in 2023.

Myanmar: Rohingya

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's role as penholder of the situation in Myanmar at the United Nations Security Council, what steps the Government is taking to address Myanmar’s non-compliance with the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice relating to genocide of the Rohingya.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: On 25 August 2022, the UK announced its intention to intervene in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case regarding Myanmar's compliance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention, in relation to acts committed against the Rohingya. We are also clear that Myanmar should comply with all aspects of the ICJ's Provisional Measures Order, which requires Myanmar to take steps to prevent the commission of genocide against the Rohingya. We understand the ICJ is monitoring Myanmar's compliance with the Provisional Measures Order, which we support.

Myanmar: Aviation

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the liability of British companies supplying aviation fuel to Myanmar to investigation or prosecution for involvement in violations of international law.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: We are unaware of any British companies that supply aviation fuel to Myanmar. On 28 February 2022, the UK updated its Overseas Business Risk Guidance to make it clear that UK businesses should conduct thorough supply chain due diligence to ensure that commodities such as aviation fuel do not reach the Myanmar military.

South Africa: UN Security Council

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 November to Question 93705 on South Africa: UN Security Council, which African nation the Government would support having on the United Nations Security Council on a permanent basis.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK has a clear and longstanding position on UN Security Council reform, including support for permanent African representation on the council. It would be premature for the UK to take a view on any individual African state's potential candidacy for permanent membership before African states have themselves come to a view on this.

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2022 to Question 92357 on Bahrain: Political Prisoners, whether he raised (a) human rights and (b) the cases of (i) Hassan Mushaima, (ii) Abduljalil al-Singace, (iii) Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, (iv) Abdulwahab Husain, (v) Sheikh Mohammed Habib al-Muqdad, (vi) Mohammed Ramadhan or (vii) Husain Moosa by name during his meeting with Bahrain’s Foreign Minister on 19 November 2022.

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2022 to Question 92357 on Bahrain: Political Prisoners, whether he raised (a) human rights and (b) the cases of (i) Hassan Mushaima, (ii) Abduljalil al-Singace, (iii) Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, (iv) Abdulwahab Husain, (v) Sheikh Mohammed Habib al-Muqdad, (vi) Mohammed Ramadhan or (vii) Husain Moosa by name during his meeting with the Prime Minister of Bahrain on 19 November 2022.

David Rutley: The UK continues to follow developments on matters that relate to human rights within Bahrain. Our close and long-standing ties with Bahrain allow UK Ministers and senior officials to raise sensitive human rights issues, including individual cases, regularly, privately and effectively. The topic of human rights was raised in the Foreign Secretary's meetings with the Bahrain Foreign Minister on 19 November 2022 and with HRH the Crown Prince & Prime Minister of Bahrain on 20 November 2022.

El Salvador: Organised Crime

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his El Salvador counterpart on the steps being taken by the Salvadorian authorities to tackle organised crime in the municipality of Soyapango.

David Rutley: A State of Exception was declared by the El Salvadoran Government in March 2022 following serious gang violence. Since it was declared, UK officials have continued to remind the authorities to ensure they treat prisoners in line with international human rights standards and constitutional protections. I [Minister Rutley] discussed the security situation in El Salvador and the municipality of Soyapango with the El Salvadoran Ambassador on 6 December and underlined the importance of a balance between the reduction of violent crime and the continued protection of human rights.

Mohammed Ramadhan

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 20 July 2022 to Question HL1406 on Bahrain: Human Rights, for what reason his Department did not provide specific dates to the Answer of 1 December 2022 to Question HL3383 on Mohammed Ramadhan.

David Rutley: I refer the Hon. Member to the answers from the Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad to HL3383 of 1 December, HL2556 of 26 October and HL2934 of 9 November. The UK continues to closely follow developments on matters that relate to human rights within Bahrain.

Nicaragua: Press Freedom

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on the freedom of the press in Nicaragua of the presence of Russian journalists training Nicaraguan pro-government media outlets.

David Rutley: Nicaragua has a close relationship with Russia and has signed agreements to strengthen cooperation with the Russian media groups Sputnik and Russia Today. The UK imposed sanctions on both Russian media outlets in March 2022. We are aware about the increasing lack of press freedom in Nicaragua, in particular the Ortega regime's actions to smother independent media and the harassment, intimidation and arbitrary detention of journalists. Since 2020 the UK has designated 14 Nicaraguan politicians and senior officials under our Nicaragua sanctions regime for violating human rights and repressing civil society.

Abduljalil al-Singace

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his counterpart in Bahrain on the return of Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace's research to his family.

David Rutley: The UK continues to follow developments on matters that relate to human rights within Bahrain, including al-Singace's case. Our close and long-standing ties with Bahrain allow UK Ministers and senior officials to raise sensitive human rights issues, including individual cases, regularly, privately and effectively.

Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his counterpart in Bahrain on (a) the bringing of charges against and (b) respecting the right to a fair trial for Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja.

David Rutley: The UK continues to follow developments on matters that relate to human rights within Bahrain, including al-Khawaja's case. Our close and long-standing ties with Bahrain allow UK Ministers and senior officials to raise sensitive human rights issues, including individual cases, regularly, privately and effectively.

Bahrain: Elections

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2022 to Question 92356 on Bahrain: Elections, for what reasons he considers the election of Nuwab members to be democratic.

David Rutley: The election of members to the Nuwab is an important democratic element of Bahrain's political system. The parliamentary elections which took place in Bahrain on 12 and 19 November were monitored by a variety of local NGOs and civil society groups. The elections were peaceful and orderly, with polling stations widely accessible for the electorate to cast their votes.

Dominican Republic: Haiti

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterpart in the Dominican Republic on the number of Haitians that have been deported from the country after attempting to enter the country illegally between July and October 2022.

David Rutley: The UK is working with the international community to address the root causes of Haitian migration including insecurity, the fragile Haitian economy, and the unchecked operations of human traffickers. The Foreign Secretary has not discussed Haiti with his counterpart in the Dominican Republic. I [Minister Rutley], travelled to the Dominican Republic 7-9 December and discussed a broad range of issues with the President of the Dominican Republic as well as a wide range of stakeholders.

Peru: Politics and Government

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has to provide (a) technical or (b) economic assistance to the Peruvian government in tackling violent clashes between protestors and Peruvian police following the removal of former President Pedro Castillo from his post.

David Rutley: The UK places real value on our partnership with Peru. Our long-term commitment to the sustainable development of Peru is demonstrated through our Government to Government agreements focusing on the reconstruction and development of healthcare, education and risk prevention sectors, as well as our climate and trade partnerships. We are monitoring the situation in Peru following the impeachment of former President Pedro Castillo and will continue to hold an active dialogue with the new Peruvian administration under President Boluarte, including on human rights and values issues.

Peru: Politics and Government

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Peruvian counterpart on Pedro Castillo's attempt to dissolve Congress and rule by decree in that country.

David Rutley: We have been closely monitoring developments in Peru including the actions of former President Pedro Castillo and Officials are in contact with their counterparts in the Peruvian Government. We welcome Dina Boluarte being sworn in as President of Peru and look forward to working with the President and her administration to help Peru advance sustainable and inclusive development in ways that respect human rights.

Kurds: Iraq

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the current relationship between the Federal Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

David Rutley: The UK supports a strong relationship between the Kurdistan Regional Government and Federal Government of Iraq and we want to see a strong and successful Kurdistan region within a thriving Iraq. We continue to encourage cooperation between Baghdad and Erbil to resolve outstanding issues, including around budget, security cooperation and the oil and gas sector.

Middle East: HIV Infection

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Middle East on how the UK can help tackle changes in the rate of HIV transmission in the region.

David Rutley: The UK funds organisations that tackle the HIV epidemic globally including the Global Fund, UNAIDS and the Robert Carr Foundation. The Global Fund is a high performing organisation that has saved 50 million lives to date. The UK is the organisation's third largest donor historically, investing over £4.5 billion since 2002. The Global Fund Middle East Response Initiative was designed to provide essential HIV, TB and malaria services to key and vulnerable populations including refugees, internally displaced people, women, children and other populations in Iraq, OPTs, Syria and Yemen, as well as to Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon. The UK continues to encourage close regional cooperation to tackle the rate of HIV transmission in the Middle East.

Iran: Protest

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Iran on the arrest, detention, killing and sentencing to death of those people taking part in recent protests.

David Rutley: The execution of Mohsen Shekari was a tragedy. The use of the death penalty against protestors standing up for their basic human rights is morally abhorrent. The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances. On 8 December, the Foreign Secretary released a statement condemning the regime's action and summoned Iran's most senior diplomat to demand that Iran must halt all executions and end the violence against its own people. The UK will continue to hold Iran to account for its brutal crackdown of protests and refusal to respect the basic human rights of its citizens.

South Africa: UN Security Council

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 November to Question 93705 on South Africa: UN Security Council, what discussions his Department has had with the United Nations Organisation on expanding the Security Council to include permanent African representation.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK has a clear and longstanding position on UN Security Council reform, including support for permanent African representation on the Council. There are regular discussions on the topic of Security Council reform at the United Nations and we are supportive of advancing intergovernmental negotiations on this matter. The UK's Permanent Representative to the UN most recently outlined our position on Security Council reform at the UN General Assembly on the 17th November. (Momentum for change is building around the UN: UK statement on Security Council reform - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk))

Malnutrition: International Assistance

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Autumn Statement on his Department's ability to tackle malnutrition internationally.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK is committed to tackling malnutrition and improving health outcomes for women and girls. Prevention and treatment of malnutrition is vital for the FCDO's work on global health, humanitarian response and in support of the UK goals on girls' education. Spend will be focussed according to the priorities set out in the International Development Strategy, these include global health and ending the preventable deaths of women, babies and children. In due course, we intend to update planned ODA allocations and the spending commitments set out in the International Development Strategy.

Nutrition: Development Aid

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when the Government will begin disbursing the £1.5 billion Nutrition for Growth funding.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: FCDO has already begun to implement our 2021 Nutrition for Growth commitment to spend £1.5 billion between 2022 and 2030. Information about spending to tackle global malnutrition is published through the Statistics for International Development (SIDS) in the Autumn each year. We will continue to publish our spend information by project on DevTracker as always (updated monthly).  The FCDO has disbursed over £5 billion of ODA for nutrition between 2013 and 2020 and spent £530.2 million on nutrition specific programmes, just missing our 2020 target of £574.8 million.

Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research: Development Aid

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much Official Development Assistance was disbursed to Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research in each year since 2018.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: Table 1 shows the volume of UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) disbursed to Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) in each year since 2018.CGIAR is the world's leading agricultural and food science and innovation organisation. In the past 40 years CGIAR crop varieties have reduced global grain prices by 20%, and reduced the number of people living in absolute poverty by over 70 million.UK funding supports the development and delivery of:• crops that are climate-resilient and more nutritious• agricultural practices that are more productive, and sustainable• evidence to manage the major threats emerging from the food system, including emerging zoonotic diseases.• better policies and interventions to help poor farmers access technology, reduce risks and increase incomes.Table 1: Volume of UK Official Development Assistance disbursed to Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), 2018-2021£ thousands2018201920202021Total ODA31,61533,00025,01121,000Source: Statistics on International DevelopmentFigure includes core contributions to CGIAR's core budget as well as bilateral ODA where the funding is earmarked for a particular purpose or fund.

Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and what is his Department's policy on the Sustainable Development Goal targets to end the Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria epidemics by 2030.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK is a long-standing supporter of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the third largest historic donor. The UK has pledged £1 billion to the Global Fund's seventh replenishment (2023-2025), which will help save over 1 million lives and avert over 28 million new infections across the three diseases. The FCDO supports the Sustainable Development Goal 3.3 targets to end the epidemics of malaria, TB, and HIV by 2030 and is working to achieve these through our support to the Global Fund and other global health investments.

Africa: Mortality Rates

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies on ending preventable deaths of mothers and children under 5 by 2030 of the findings on maternal and infant mortality in Atlas of African Health Statistics 2022, published by the World Health Organisation on 1 December 2022

Mr Andrew Mitchell: We welcome the findings in the Atlas of African Health Statistics 2022, reinforcing the need for a concerted global effort to reduce maternal and infant mortality in low-income countries.The UK published our approach paper on Ending the Preventable Deaths (EPD) of Mothers, Babies and children and Health Systems Strengthening Position Paper in December 2021. Together these outline our approach to work with governments and partners to improve maternal and child health outcomes. We support EPD by strengthening health systems, promoting SRHR (including access to safe abortion), gender equality and improved nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene and climate resilience in health.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Official Hospitality

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his Department’s total spend on hospitality in the UK was in each of the last five years; and, with reference to page 212 of his Department’s Annual Reports and Accounts 2021-2022, what definition is given to business hospitality in those accounts.

David Rutley: The FCDO publish this data in the Annual Report and Accounts in Note 3 Operating Expenditure under "Business Hospitality". Prior to the merger, the FCO published this in Note 3 Operating Costs under "Business Hospitality" within the Annual Report and Accounts. DFID did not separately disclose the "Hospitality and Entertainment" costs in their Annual Report and Accounts as these are too small. However DFID spend on "hospitality and entertainment" prior to the merger was £40,639 in 2017-18; £39,560 in 2018-19; and £45,236 in 2019-20.Business Hospitality in the FCDO's 2021-22 Annual Report and Accounts can be defined as direct reasonable expenses incurred when entertaining i.e. food and drink, for non-FCDO visitors or contacts (where appropriate) in the case of supporting the FCDO's Policy Priorities; and the indirect costs incurred due to representational requirements (e.g. cleaning fees, staff costs, childcare for late evening reception where it is mandatory for an officer to represent the UK).

Human Rights: HIV Infection

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his counterparts in countries that criminalise those who live with HIV to encourage them to cease this practice.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his counterparts in countries that have policies that discriminate against those who live with HIV to encourage them to cease this practice.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: Addressing stigma and discrimination and ensuring equality of access to HIV prevention, testing and treatment services is critical to the global HIV response. The UK is a champion for human rights. We support the strategy of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria with its focus on addressing inequities and structural drivers of HIV infection and AIDS-related deaths including barriers to services due to stigma, discrimination and criminalisation. Our funding to the Robert Carr Fund and to UNAIDS helps to combat stigma and discrimination and to improve access to HIV services for those most at risk.

Sri Lanka: Water Supply

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterpart in Sri Lanka on the effect of the Chunnakam power plant complex on the water supply in northern Sri Lanka.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: We maintain regular contact with the Government of Sri Lanka on a range of environmental issues, including the challenges around water management and quality faced by communities in Northern Sri Lanka. A number of public bodies in Sri Lanka have conducted tests and compensation has been offered to those affected by water pollution caused by the Chunnakam Power plant.The then Minister responsible for Sri Lanka, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, discussed this issue with the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the UK in December 2020. He also raised opportunities for joint cooperation on environmental protection during his visit to Sri Lanka in January.

Ministry of Defence

Defence Equipment: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Note 3 on page 28 of the NAO report on the Equipment Plan 2022 to 2032, HC 907, published on 29 November, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes in the dollar exchange rate on the accuracy of the underlying assumptions of the affordability of the Equipment Plan 2022 to 2023.

Alex Chalk: The Department builds appropriate levels of contingency and risk into the Defence Budget and Equipment Plan. Risk of increased costs due to exchange rate changes are addressed as part of routine financial management of the Defence programme, including the use of forward purchase arrangements to mitigate this.

Ministry of Defence: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2022 to Question 61824 on Ministry of Defence: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution, whether (a) the £14,334 spent on hotel accommodation for personnel providing an escort role in UK movements and (b) the £691 spent hosting foreign dignitaries between 26 and 29 April 2022 included any expenditure on alcoholic beverages.

Alex Chalk: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) can provide a response against the two electronic purchasing card (ePC) transactions highlighted within the right hon. Member's question:The £14,334 spent on hotel accommodation for personnel providing an escort role in UK movements covered accommodation with breakfast only.The £691 spent hosting foreign dignitaries between 26 and 29 April 2022 included a meal for nine people including service and wine. The spend was endorsed by Army Top Level Budget and MOD policy.

China: AWACS

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the refurbished airframes for the RAF's E-7 aircraft were previously operated by airlines (a) based and (b) operating in China..

Alex Chalk: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given on 13 January 2021 to Question 134370 from the right hon. Member for North Durham.China: Military Aircraft (docx, 21.3KB)

Marines: Finance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 20 of the NAO report on the Equipment Plan 2022 to 2032, HC 907, published on 29 November, what assessment he has made of the potential risks to the delivery date of a commando force of Blocks 2 and 3 remaining unfunded.

Alex Chalk: The Navy remains committed to delivering both Blocks. Block 2 is fully funded, whilst funding for Block 3 will be addressed in due course.

A400M Aircraft: Repairs and Maintenance

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many A400M Atlas transport aircraft have been retrofitted with the package of engine and gearbox enhancements as part of the programme to improve the availability of that aircraft; and who paid for the conversion work required.

Alex Chalk: All TP400 Engines fitted to Royal Air Force A400M Atlas aircraft have undergone a programme of work to rectify issues affecting the combustion chamber. This work was completed in November 2020.In addition, 17 aircraft have so far undergone modifications to resolve gearbox issues. This programme of work is expected to complete in spring 2023.There has been no cost to the Ministry of Defence as the work is covered by contractual warranties and was therefore funded by industry.

A400M Aircraft: Procurement

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Atlas A400M transport aircraft the RAF intends to purchase; and when the last aircraft is due to be delivered by the manufacturer.

Alex Chalk: The Ministry of Defence have ordered 22 Atlas A400M aircraft, of which 21 have been delivered. The last aircraft is due for delivery in the summer of 2023.

A400M Aircraft: Procurement

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total (a) acquisition cost and (b) estimated life-cycle cost of the A400M Atlas transport aircraft programme is.

Alex Chalk: The current total provision for acquisition of the A400M Atlas fleet for the Royal Air Force is £2.6 billion.The estimated whole life cost for the current fleet is £7.2 billion, up to the planned out-of-service date.

Defence Equipment: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 28 of the NAO report on the Equipment Plan 2022 to 2032, HC 907, published on 29 November, whether his Department agrees that the Equipment Plan risks cost increases of £2.8bn due to exchange rates.

Alex Chalk: The NAO's assessment of the increases in risk costs due to exchange rates matches the Department's. However, the Equipment Plan 2022 reflects the position as at the close of March, and the Department's awareness of these threats, as well as the mechanisms we have in place to mitigate against their potential impact, will be subject to greater focus in the next Equipment Plan.

A400M Aircraft: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 20 of the NAO report on the Equipment Plan 2022 to 2032, HC 907, published on 29 November, what assessment he has made of the impact of the decision not to purchase additional A400M aircraft on the UK's air transportation capability after the retirement of the C-130J Hercules in June 2023.

Alex Chalk: The Ministry of Defence remains committed to growing the Atlas A400M fleet which, following the retirement of the aging Hercules C-130J, will provide the RAF with a modern and capable fleet of transport aircraft for the Air Mobility Force.

Armed Forces: Training

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2022 to Question 61825 on Ministry of Defence: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution, what the name was of the indoor climbing facility used by recruits in Brecon as part of their adventurous training on 28 April 2022.

Alex Chalk: The Ministry of Defence can confirm the supplier used for adventurous training on the 28 April 2022 was Llangorse Multi Activity Centre Ltd.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason his Department has estimated that the Mechanised Infantry Vehicle programme has a total cost variation to completion of £543 million.

Alex Chalk: The total cost variation to completion of £543 million in the Mechanised Infantry programme reflects the Defence Command Plan intent to significantly increase the programme scope by enhancing and uplifting the fleet sizes by an initial 100 vehicles.

LE TacCIS Programme

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what deliverables have been provided to this Department under the new Morpheus communications programme.

Alex Chalk: The MORPHEUS Evolve to Open deliverables include a Joint Programme Office, a Test and Reference Centre, Target Architecture and an Installation Design and Certification project. Progress on MORPHEUS Evolve to Open Assessment Phase has fallen considerably short of what was anticipated. The Department is reviewing next steps on how best to achieve its objectives on MORPHEUS.

Warships: Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the Enabling Land Ship Dock Auxiliary.

Alex Chalk: The cost of assessing the Integrated Review option to enhance the Land Ship Dock Auxiliary was contained within existing resource.

Defence Equipment: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December to Question 98702 on Defence Equipment: Procurement, what projection of potential foreign exchange risk volatility his Department has made of each of the programmes listed.

Alex Chalk: The Department does not routinely calculate the effect of foreign exchange on individual programmes and considers the overall requirement to calculate and address changes in forecast costs.

AWACS: Procurement

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the (a) estimated purchase cost for the originally programmed five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft and (b) revised purchase price for the re-programmed three E-7 Wedgetail aircraft.

Alex Chalk: The original estimated acquisition cost for five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft programme was £2155 million, which included acquisition, modification, infrastructure, training and support long lead time items (included initial spares provisioning).The current forecast for the three aircraft programme is £1890 million.The above figures reflect the current cost to completion of the E-7 programme, as outlined in the Defence Equipment Plan. They do not include estimated forecast savings from longer term sustainment through reduced support costs due to the reduction to three aircraft.

AWACS: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December to Question 98665 on AWACS: Procurement, what estimate his Department has made of the savings from the decision to reduce the number of E-7 Wedgetails purchased on the (a) whole life cost of the programme and (b) initial cost of purchasing the capability.

Alex Chalk: As a result of the decision to reduce the number of E7 Wedgetail aircraft, the Department expects to save around £350 million on initial acquisition and infrastructure costs. Further savings are expected to be realised throughout the programme as a result of reduced spares and support costs. There have been some foreign exchange rate cost increases in the overall programme that have offset some of these savings. As there are elements of the programme are not yet on contract, further details of expected savings from whole life costs are being withheld to avoid prejudicing the commercial interests of the Department.

AWACS: Procurement

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to announce the finalisation of the Full Business Case for the RAF's E-7 Wedgetail programme.

Alex Chalk: The Full Business Case for the E-7 Wedgetail programme is expected to be finalised in mid-2023.

Marines: Finance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 20 of the NAO report on the Equipment Plan 2022 to 2032, HC 907, published on 29 November, how much of the Future Commando Blocks 2 and 3 are fully funded.

Alex Chalk: The Royal Navy has prioritised Block 2 (OPERATE) of the Future Commando Force and it is fully funded. Funding for Block 3 (FIGHT) will be addressed following the completion of ongoing analysis.

Marines: Finance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the total value of Block (a) 2 and (b) 3 of the Future Commando programme.

Alex Chalk: The total value of the Future Commando Programme Block 2 (OPERATE) is approximately £336 million. The cost of Block 3 (FIGHT) is estimated at £695 million.

Warships: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 20 of the NAO report on the Equipment Plan 2022 to 2032, HC 907, published on 29 November, what assessment he has made of the impact of the decision by Navy Command to withdraw plans for Multi-Role Support Ships on Littoral Strike.

Alex Chalk: There are no plans to withdraw the Multi Role Support Ships programme. It remains in the concept phase, and the programme and procurement strategy will be decided following the completion of the concept phase. We continue to assess plans and are still working to the intended in-service dates.

Minesweepers

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the expected (a) initial and (b) full operating capability is of the Mine Hunting Capability.

Alex Chalk: At Initial Operating Capability, currently expected to be achieved in 2025, we expect to have three Mine Countermeasures Maritime Autonomous Systems (MCM MAS) and one Mine Countermeasures Offshore Support Vessel. Full Operating Capability is expected to be achieved by the end of 2034 and, while based on MCM MAS, specifications have yet to be fully defined.

Merlin Helicopters: Early Warning Systems

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to announce the final agreement with Lockheed Martin for completion of the Crowsnest AEW helicopter programme.

Alex Chalk: Commercial negotiations with industry to re-baseline the contract for the remainder of the Crowsnest AEW helicopter programme are planned to conclude during the first quarter of 2023.

Merlin Helicopters: Early Warning Systems

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Merlin helicopters remain to be converted to the Crowsnest AEW configuration.

Alex Chalk: We do not comment on matters of operational capability as to do so could prejudice the capability of our Armed Forces.

Merlin Helicopters: Early Warning Systems

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the definition of Initial Operational Capability for the Crowsnest AEW helicopter programme is.

Alex Chalk: The precise details of Initial Operating Capability (IOC) quantities and performance are classified. However, the pre-requisites in terms of quantities of trained people, Airborne Surveillance and Control role equipment deliveries, modified aircraft, training equipment and support have already been delivered to the Royal Navy. In many cases the minimum number have already been exceeded. The final element comprises the software update required to deliver the IOC contracted capabilities. The final flight testing, safety and airworthiness clearance activity is forecast to complete in Quarter two of 2023.

Early Warning Systems: Standards

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness performance of the Crowsnest AEW system during last year's Carrier Strike Group 21 deployment.

Alex Chalk: The performance of the CROWSNEST Airborne Surveillance and Control system, as a baseline capability, was continuously monitored throughout the Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG 21) deployment to inform its ongoing development and incremental delivery.As to be expected, opportunities were identified during the CSG 21 deployment to improve the CROWSNEST system. As a result of user feedback, two further software upgrades have been implemented on time and fielded on deployments with CROWSNEST in 2022. A third upgrade is due to undertake flight testing early 2023.

Type 32 Frigates: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 20 of the NAO report on the Equipment Plan 2022 to 2032, HC 907, published on 29 November, for what reason Navy Command was concerned about the affordability of the Type 32 frigate programme.

Alex Chalk: The Type 32 Frigate programme remains a key part of the future fleet and is currently in the concept phase. Work continues to ensure the programme is affordable in order to deliver the ships the Navy and Marines need.

Warships: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 20 of the NAO report on the Equipment Plan 2022 to 2032, HC 907, published on 29 November, for what reason Navy Command was concerned about the affordability of the Multi-Role Support Ships.

Alex Chalk: The Multi-Role Support Ships programme remains a key part of the future fleet. Work continues to ensure the programme is affordable in order to deliver the ships the Navy and Marines need.

Integrated Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Review: AWACS

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the update of the Integrated Review will include a review of the number of E-7 Wedgetail aircraft to be ordered for the RAF.

Alex Chalk: The Ministry of Defence welcomes the opportunity the refresh of the Integrated Review provides to refine its capabilities and prioritise its activities to ensure the UK remains ready to deter adversaries in the new era of strategic competition. Any specific defence policy or capability changes will be confirmed in the subsequent update to the Defence Command Paper.

AWACS

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral evidence of 29 November from Boeing to the Defence Select Committee on Aviation: Procurement, HC 178, what the initial operating capability is for the E7 Wedgetail.

Alex Chalk: I am withholding the information requested as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

RAF Valley: Staff

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Hawk T.2 trainers were operationally available to fly at RAF Valley as part of the MFTS programme on each day of October 2022.

Alex Chalk: DateNumber of Hawk T2 aircraft available3 October 202274 October 202285 October 202286 October 202297 October 2022710 October 2022911 October 2022912 October 2022813 October 2022814 October 2022817 October 20221018 October 20221019 October 2022820 October 2022921 October 20221024 October 20221025 October 2022926 October 2022727 October 2022728 October 2022731 October 20226

Department for Work and Pensions

Cold Weather Payments

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential benefits of factoring in windchill in the calculation of temperature for the distribution of Cold Weather Payments.

Laura Trott: Cold Weather Payments are intended to contribute towards the additional cost of heating a home during periods of severely cold weather, in England and Wales. The Scottish Government has introduced the Winter Heating Payment scheme to replace Cold Weather Payments for claimants living in Scotland.   Changing the eligibility criteria, or altering the temperature calculation, would significantly increase the cost, complexity and uncertainty of the scheme. We continually monitor the delivery of Cold Weather Payments to ensure it meets the policy intent.

Workplace Pensions: Insolvency

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, what plans they have to (a) revoke, (b) replace or (c) retain the Bauer [C-168/18] and Hampshire [C-17/17] judgements.

Laura Trott: The Government is considering how best to seamlessly implement the measures in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, and their impact on the Bauer and Hampshire judgments, whilst minimising the impact on the pension industry and members of occupational pension schemes.

Windrush Generation: Pensions

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the impact of the frozen overseas pensions policy on members of the Windrush generation.

Laura Trott: The policy on up-rating UK State Pensions overseas is longstanding and has been supported by successive UK Governments for over 70 years. Up-rating is paid to UK State Pension recipients where there is a legal requirement to do so.

Household Support Fund

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee on 30th November 2022, HC 549, if he will publish data on the 28 per cent of local authorities that underspent their allocation of Household Support Fund.

Mims Davies: For the grant period 6th October 2021 to 31 March 2022, for the Household Support Fund, 43% of Local Authorities underspent, however this was only by a small amount for most Local Authorities and only 17% underspent by more than 0.5% of their allocation.Management information data for Household Support Fund (6th October 2021 to 31 March 2022), which includes total HSF awarded to each Local Authority and total spend by each Local Authority, is published and can be found Here.

Local Housing Allowance: Refugees

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to issue Ukrainian refugees with a letter confirming their entitlement to local housing payments.

Mims Davies: Eligibility for benefits, including help with housing costs depends on a person’s immigration status in the UK as determined by the Home Office. Those who were residing in Ukraine immediately before 1 January 2022, and who have fled in response to the Russian Invasion are eligible for income-related, disability and carer benefits from day one of their arrival in the UK, subject to all other entitlement conditions being met. DWP does not issue letters to individuals regarding potential eligibility. However, all claims to benefit will be decided in accordance with current legislation.

Local Housing Allowance

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing Local Housing Allowance Targeted Affordability Funding where rents have fallen the furthest below the 30th percentile of average market rents since 2021.

Mims Davies: Following an investment of £1b in 2020/21 to take Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile, they will be maintained at the elevated levels for financial year 2023/24 as assumed in the OBR baseline costings and therefore no savings are realised to re-invest in targeted funding. We recognise rents are increasing but the challenging fiscal environment means that difficult decisions were necessary to ensure support is targeted effectively. The Chancellor announced at Autumn Statement a package of support worth £26 billion.In 2023/24 around 8 million households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to a further £900 in Cost of Living Payments. The benefit cap will be increased by CPI to ensure that households will see an increase in their benefits following uprating.For those who require extra support, the government is extending the Household Support Fund providing an additional £1bn to help with the cost of household essentials, for the 2023-24 financial year, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing total funding for this support to £2.5 billion. In England this will be delivered through an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £842 million, running from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, which local authorities use to help households with the cost of essentials. It will be for the devolved administrations to decide how to allocate their additional Barnett funding.For those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs and need further support. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. Since 2011 the Government has provided almost £1.5 billion in DHP funding to local authorities.

Local Housing Allowance: Private Rented Housing

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the House of Commons Library a copy of the equality impact assessment carried out on the decision to maintain Local Housing Allowance rates of Housing Benefit at existing levels for tenants in the private rented sector.

Mims Davies: An Equality Analysis has been undertaken for the decision to maintain LHA rates at their current level and will be published in due course.

Members: Correspondence

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will reply to the letters of8 September and 9 November 2022 from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf ofconstituentRebecca Neale on maternity and the cost of living.

Mims Davies: A reply was sent to the hon. Member of Weston-super-Mare by the Minister for Work and Pensions (Lords), on behalf of the Secretary of State, on 2 December 2022.

Employment and Support Allowance: Universal Credit

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee on 30th November 2022, HC 549, if he will provide a breakdown of how his Department calculated a £1 billion resulting from the delay in the managed migration from Employment Support Allowance to Universal Credit by (a) expenditure on Transitional Protection, (b) staff time and (c) other savings.

Guy Opperman: Information on this policy costing can be found within the Autumn_Statement_2022_Policy_Costings_.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk) document; page 45.

Canada: Reciprocal Arrangements

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has held discussions with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the request made by the Government of Canada to discuss a reciprocal social security agreement with the UK.

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his has made of the potential merits of Canada’s request to form a new reciprocal uprating agreement with the UK.

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the request made by the Government of Canada for a reciprocal social security agreement including pensions in 2020 and 2022.

Guy Opperman: I refer the honourable member to the answer given to PQ 45728 on 17 September 2022.

Social Security Benefits: Reciprocal Arrangements

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many requests for a reciprocal social security agreements his Department has received, including on pensions, broken down by country in each of the last 10 years.

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many requests for a reciprocal (b) social security agreement or (b) pensions have been received in the last ten years broken down by country.

Guy Opperman: I refer the honourable member to the answer given to PQ 129841 on 7 March 2022.

National Insurance Credits: Universal Credit

Gerald Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the technical issues that have been outstanding since 2018 to award National Insurance credits to Universal Credit claims will be resolved.

Guy Opperman: The technical issues referenced were identified, and DWP have taken the steps to correct them.

Cost of Living Payments: Disability

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the cost of living payments for disabled people who are not on means tested benefits and who have high energy usage.

Tom Pursglove: The Government is providing extensive support to disabled people and those with a health condition to help them live independent lives. In 2022/23 we will spend around £66bn on benefits to support disabled people and people with health conditions in Great Britain. The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living, including disabled people, and has taken further, decisive action to support people with their energy bills. The Energy Price Guarantee is supporting millions of households with rising energy costs in addition to other cost of living support announced earlier this year, which includes:the £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households provided through the Energy Bills Support Scheme;a Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 to six million people in recognition of the extra costs they face, including with energy costs;up to £650 in Cost of Living Payments for the eight million households in receipt of a means-tested benefit;a one-off payment of £300 through, and as an addition to, the Winter Fuel Payment from November to pensioner households.To ensure ongoing stability and certainty for households, in the Autumn Statement we announced further support for next year designed to target the most vulnerable households. This cost of living support is worth £26 billion in 2023-24, in addition to uprating benefits for working age households and disabled people as well as the basic and new State Pensions by 10.1%. In order to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions, the benefit cap will also be increased by 10.1%. Alongside further Cost of Living Payments for the most vulnerable, including for disabled people, the amended Energy Price Guarantee will save the average UK household £500 in 2023-24.For those who require extra support, the Government is providing an additional £1 billion of funding, including Barnett impact, to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund in England in the next financial year. This is on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing total funding to £2.5 billion. In England, this will be delivered through an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £842 million, running from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, which local authorities use to help households with the cost of essentials. It will be for the devolved administrations to decide how to allocate their additional Barnett funding.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of training provided to assessors who consider Personal Independence Payments and the Work Capability Assessments for disabled claimants.

Tom Pursglove: All assessment providers are required to ensure that all health professionals (HP) carrying out assessments have sufficient training and knowledge of the clinical aspects and likely overall functional effects of a wide range of health conditions and impairments. To ensure a high standard is maintained the department has an Independent Audit function that continually monitors performance and provides feedback to providers. Audit refers to a comprehensive check of the elements of the assessment, including the evidence collection, further evidence provided, and the assessment report completed by the HP. The check is completed against a set of guidelines to ensure a consistent approach is taken. This ensures that assessment reports are fit for purpose, clinically justified and sound, and provide sufficient information for the department to make an informed decision on entitlement to benefit. Providers work with the department to continuously improve assessment quality through a range of measures including audit procedures. We also measure the adequacy of HP training through customer satisfaction surveys undertaken by independent third parties. All providers have consistently exceeded their customer satisfaction targets of 90% for Personal Independence Payment and 92% for the Work Capability Assessment.

Work Capability Assessment: Applications

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken was between his Department receiving a completed work capability assessment form and (a) the claimant to be invited for an assessment and (b) the assessment taking place in (i) the City of York Council area, (ii) Yorkshire and the Humber and (iii) England in the latest period for which data is available.

Tom Pursglove: The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Deductions

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answers of 6 December to Questions 97727, 97728 and 97729 on Social Security Benefits: Cynon Valley, how many recipients of social security payments were subject to one or more deduction; and what the (a) mean and (b) median monthly deduction was by each parliamentary constituency.

Tom Pursglove: The information is provided in the attached spreadsheet, which shows the number of Universal Credit households in August 2022 who were subject to one or more deduction by each parliamentary constituency and the mean and median value of deductions by each parliamentary constituency. Notes accompanying the data provided: 1) The number of households per constituency are rounded to the nearest 100. The mean and median value of deductions has been rounded to the nearest £1. The sum of individual constituencies may not sum to the total figure due to rounding.2) Household level figures have been provided.3) Deductions include advance repayments, third party deductions and all other deductions, but exclude sanctions and fraud penalties which are reductions of benefit rather than deductions.4) The ‘unknown' parliamentary constituency equates to 3% of all households and relates to households for which a constituency could not be determined due to incomplete postcode information.5) August 2022 figures used in line with latest published statistics on Universal Credit Households Statistics.6) Figures are provisional and subject to retrospective change as later data becomes available.7) The methodology used is different to those used to derive the Official Statistics Household series and therefore, figures may not be comparable. Table 1  (xlsx, 46.4KB)

Personal Independence Payment: Sleep Apnoea

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with sleep apnoea applied for the Personal Independence Payment in the latest period for which data is available; and how many and what proportion of these people were successful in their applications (a) in total, (b) after a mandatory reconsideration and (c) after a tribunal appeal.

Tom Pursglove: This response requires analysis of data held by DWP on decision outcomes at different stages of the customer journey. This data covers cases where the initial assessment was completed between April 2013 and, June 2022, in line with published statistics. A Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants main disabling condition is recorded during their assessment and is not centrally recorded prior to this. Therefore, disabling condition information is not available for analysis of claims registered but not yet assessed.  Volume and proportion of claimants with sleep apnoea who were successful in their PIPapplication at initial decision, after a mandatory reconsideration, or after a tribunal appeal:Volume of Initial Decisions3,220Volume of Cases Awarded at Initial Decision1,050Allowance Rate at Initial Decision33%Volume of MRs Changed190MR Change Rate (% of initial decisions)6%Volume of Appeals Changed190Appeal Overturn Rate (% of initial decisions)6% Total number and proportion of claimants with sleep apnoea who were successful in their PIP applications throughout the entire customer journey:Total Successful Claims After Full Customer Journey1,430Proportion of Successful Claims44% Note:Appeals data is taken from the DWP computer system’s management information. Therefore, this appeal data may differ from that held by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service for various reasons such as delays in data recording and other methodological differences in collating and preparing statistics;Volumes have been rounded to the nearest 10;Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer system;Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics;A change at appeal includes those that were overturned at a tribunal hearing, and those that were lapsed prior to a hearing;A lapsed appeal is where DWP changed the decision in the customer’s favour after an appeal was lodged, but before it was heard at a tribunal hearing;An overturn at appeal is when it is revised in favour of the customer at Tribunal.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Moorland: Yorkshire and the Humber

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent moorland burning in the Yorkshire Dales and Moors.

Trudy Harrison: Working with stakeholders we have seen a consistent voluntary reduction in intensive land management techniques, including burning, across all our upland habitats.We will continue to work with stakeholders to encourage the most appropriate land management techniques to protect these valuable habitats.

Environment Protection

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to consult with the (a) public and (b) relevant stakeholders on the Environmental Improvement Plan before 31 January 2023; and if she will make a statement.

Trudy Harrison: Defra ran a number of public consultations in 2022, including those on long term targets and on nature recovery as well as on a range of individual policies. We do not plan to overlay these with a further public consultation. This was the approach taken for the original 25 Year Environment Plan.The revised plan will be subject to the relevant scrutiny and parliamentary laying procedures as set out in the Environment Act 2021.

Marine Protected Areas: Fisheries

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing the area of UK seas covered by a permanent ban on bottom towed fishing gears on her Department's support of the Global Ocean Alliance target to protect at least 30 per cent of the global ocean by 2030.

Mark Spencer: Domestically, since 2010 we have created over 100 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) which now protect over 38% of UK waters. In English waters we have built a comprehensive network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and are now focused on making sure they are properly protected. Nearly 60% of our 178 English MPAs are already protected from damaging fishing activity and all MPAs in English waters will be protected from such activity by 2024.Internationally, the UK continues to champion the 30by30 ocean target, now supported by over 120 countries, including through its leadership of the Global Ocean Alliance and as ocean co-chair of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People. It is important that areas contributing to the 30by30 target are effectively managed, and that each site is afforded a level of protection appropriate to its conservation objectives. The UK remains committed to making a significant contribution to this global target in our own waters, and we are encouraging other countries to do the same.

Plants: Non-native Species

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, what steps she is taking to eradicate rhododendron ponticum in England; and if she will make it her policy to introduce a ban on the sale of that species in England.

Trudy Harrison: Rhododendron ponticum is considered an invasive plant and, as such, is listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Therefore, it is an offence to plant or otherwise cause to grow this species in the wild. However, Rhododendron was first recorded in the wild over a hundred years ago and is so widespread that national eradication is not considered viable using current techniques. The Countryside Stewardship scheme has a grant for farmers and land managers to fund Rhododendron control, reducing the negative effect it can have on a site.  There are no plans to introduce a ban on the sale of Rhododendron ponticum in England. It is already very widely spread, and the further spread is mainly caused by the seeds of long-established plants. A ban on sale is therefore not considered likely to substantially reduce the distribution of this species.

Eggs: Supermarkets

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the availability of eggs in supermarkets.

Mark Spencer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Rt Hon. Lord Benyon on 12th December 2022 to Question 3655.

Food: Research

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much of the £120 million committed in the Government Food Strategy for research funding for alternative proteins has been allocated to (a) plant-based, (b) fermentation-derived and (c) cultivated meat, dairy, eggs and seafood proteins.

Mark Spencer: The Government’s Food Strategy included a commitment to keep the UK at the front of the growing and innovative alternative protein sector by supporting alternative protein research and innovation, including as part of our partnership with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to invest over £120 million in research across the food system. To date, public support in the form of R&D investment to the sector includes £12.5m part of the Defra-UKRI partnership Farming Innovation Programme (FIP), focussed on developing innovative solutions for sustainable farm-based protein production, although the FIP excludes post-farm gate protein technologies like cultured meat. Innovate UK is currently funding three projects comprising £12.5M through the Transforming Food Production programme, focusing on alternative protein for aquaculture and animal feed applications and two projects with an overall value of £1.5M focused on lab-based meat cultivation. Additionally, UKRI’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Innovate UK are jointly planning to invest at least £20 million in capacity building, research, innovation and business-led commercialisation to help develop alternative, more sustainable protein sources between 2022-2025. Precision fermentation and cultivated meat research proposals will be within the scope of funding as part of the BBSRC Strategic Plan 2022-2025.

Farmers: Retirement

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications her Department received for the Lump Sum Exit Scheme in 2022.

Mark Spencer: The application window for the Lump Sum Exit Scheme closed on 30 September 2022. We are now processing applications and payments are being made when evidence of exit is provided.

Visas: Seasonal Workers

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the culling and death of birds grown for the festive season due to avian flu on demand for poultry workers.

Mark Spencer: The scale of Avian Influenza outbreaks occurring in the UK, Europe and globally this year is unprecedented and we recognize the impact this has had on the poultry industry, particularly the turkey sector. However, the British poultry sector is highly resilient and there is no immediate threat to the food supply chain. Demand for poultry workers via the Seasonal Workers visa route is less than anticipated this year due primarily to the AI outbreak. This will not affect the 2,000 visas allocated to the seasonal poultry sector in 2024.

Poultry: Prices

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an estimate of the potential impact of avian flu on the change in the cost of a turkey since the 2021-22 financial year.

Mark Spencer: There are many factors, including the impact of Avian Influenza, that will influence the cost of a turkey. To support the seasonal poultry sector, Defra announced on 28 October a flexibility to marketing rules in England so that farmers who breed turkeys, geese, ducks or capons for the Christmas market have the option to slaughter their flocks early and freeze these products, which can then be defrosted and sold to consumers between the period 28 November and 31 December 2022. These changes have given farmers certainty over business planning and have helped secure the supply of turkeys this Christmas.

Rivers: Infectious Diseases

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to stop the spread of superbugs in rivers.

Rebecca Pow: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 6 December to PQ 99926.

Environmental Land Management Schemes

Mr Ranil Jayawardena: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her Department's policy to improve environmental land management schemes by (a) reducing the number of schemes; (b) making schemes easier for farmers to access; (c) increasing payment rates; and (d) replacing outdated regulations.

Mark Spencer: We are pressing ahead with our Environmental Land Management schemes. We are working closely with farmers, land managers and environmental groups to make sure our schemes contribute to our ambitious outcomes on the environment and support a thriving farming sector. We will set out more detail soon.

Food: Prices

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with food retail organisations on the impact of inflation on the price of (a) christmas pudding, (b) potatoes, (c) cranberry sauce, (d) brussels sprouts or (e) parsnips.

Mark Spencer: Defra has regular discussions with retailers about a range of issues, including the impact of food price inflation.

Foxes: Urban Areas

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce measures to minimise destruction caused by urban foxes.

Trudy Harrison: The Government has no current plans to introduce measures to combat problems that may be caused by urban foxes. There is no statutory duty on local authorities, or anyone else, to control foxes in their areas and the decision about whether or not to do so lies with the owner or occupier of the property where the problem occurs, providing they do so in compliance with legislation to protect animal welfare.The availability of food is likely to be a key factor in determining the size of urban fox populations and the most effective strategies for resolving problems with foxes rely mainly on preventative and deterrent strategies, such as removing or proofing food and shelter sources, using fencing to exclude or repellents to deter.Advice on the management of foxes can be obtained from Natural England's Wildlife Management Unit.

Home Office

Security Guards: Training

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing financial support for security officers on low incomes to take first aid courses in order to renew their Security Industry Authority licences.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with (a) the Security Industry Authority and (b) training agencies on the cost of (i) top-up and (ii) first aid courses for security officers who want to renew their SIA licences.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has had discussions with the Security Industry Authority on the potential to extend licences for people who have (a) not been able to and (b) have had reduced work due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a fee waiver for security officers on a low income who are (a) applying for and (b) renewing their Security Industry Authority licence, in the context of the cost of living crisis.

Tom Tugendhat: The Security Industry Authority (SIA) works closely with the private security industry and with training providers to develop qualification specifications and other requirements for all current and prospective licence-holders across the UK. The SIA does not receive any income from training delivered to SIA licence applicants or holders, nor does it control or set the fees, provide the training, or regulate the training providers.The SIA recognises the importance of supporting licence-holders and applicants and has worked with the training providers’ awarding bodies to ensure that training is as flexible and cost-effective as possible. Options include a mixture of self-study, virtual classrooms, and face-to-face training.The Security Industry Authority’s licence application fee is fixed in accordance with Schedule 1, section 15(1) of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, which states that the SIA should set its application fees at a level suitable to enable full recovery of costs incurred in delivering its activities, without seeking to make profits. Any variation to waive or vary fees for one cohort would essentially require the SIA to recoup these costs from other applicants or would result in a loss that the taxpayer would subsidise.The licence fee for all sectors in the private security industry has remained stable since April 2020, when the SIA reduced the licence fee from £210 to £190. The licence application fee is now cheaper in real terms than it was in 2004.The SIA is responsible for ensuring that all licence holders are ‘fit and proper’ persons and have the required skillset and level of training suitable for their chosen sector, via checks made upon application. It would not therefore be appropriate on public safety grounds to extend licences, without those licence holders being subject to the mandatory checks and training required at application and renewal.

Asylum: Housing

Peter Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress her Department has made on implementing the (a) Asylum Accommodation and Support Transformation programme and (b) PACE pilot in Scotland.

Robert Jenrick: a - Asylum Accommodation and Support Transformation programme – The Home Office are looking to implement delivery plans in conjunction with our providers and Local Authorities to further support full dispersal.b - PACE pilot in Scotland – As part of the Home Office Asylum Transformation programme, we are taking immediate action to bring the asylum backlog down with the nationwide rollout of a successful casework Pilot from Leeds. The aim of this is to improve asylum initial decision-making productivity, focussing on streamlining the decision-making process and reducing the time it takes to interview, consider and serve an asylum decision through a number of process improvements. The rollout of the PACE pilot to all Home Office sites is due to be complete by May 2023 and we will roll out the approach to our operational sites over the coming months.To further accelerate decision making we will further drive productivity improvements by simplifying and modernising our system. This includes measures like shortening interviews, removing unnecessary interviews, making guidance simpler and more accessible, dealing with cases more swiftly where they can be certified as manifestly unfounded and recruiting extra decision makers.

Asylum: Temporary Accommodation

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is required to provide accommodation to asylum seekers who have made an appointment at an asylum intake unit and are waiting for that appointment to take place.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office has a legal obligation to provide support to asylum-seekers who would otherwise be destitute.Those wishing to claim asylum are expected to do so on arrival at the port of entry or, if already in the UK, and their circumstances change, as soon as possible at the Asylum Intake Unit (AIU) in Croydon. The AIU operates an appointment process for those who have accommodation, but a walk-in service is available for those who are destitute and need immediate accommodation.Destitute asylum seekers can access initial support under section 98 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 which is offered as initial or contingency accommodation  when they make an appointment to attend an asylum screening interview at the AIU and until the appointment time.

Home Office: Bullying

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number of staff who have been subject to (a) sexual harassment and (b) bullying in her Department in each year since 2018.

Miss Sarah Dines: It is up to individual employees whether they choose to raise an allegation or concern about sexual harassment or bullying informally or formally. In both situations, the case must be dealt with appropriately and effectively by an independent manager outside the management chain of the parties involved. Consequently, this information can only be obtained with disproportionate effort as this information is not held centrally aside from formal grievances and/or disciplinary action.

Asylum: Employment

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing asylum seekers the right to work while they await a decision on their asylum application.

Robert Jenrick: Asylum seekers are allowed to work in the UK if their claim has been outstanding for 12 months or more, through no fault of their own. Those permitted to work are restricted to jobs on the Shortage Occupation List.

Asylum: Interviews

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the additional Asylum Intake Units set up during the covid-19 pandemic remain open.

Robert Jenrick: Following measures introduced by Her Majesty’s Government in response to COVID-19, it was necessary for the Home Office to stand up regional and national units to fulfil its statutory requirement to register asylum claims. In addition to Croydon and Glasgow, it established five offices in Belfast, Liverpool, Leeds, Solihull and Cardiff which accept in-country asylum claims and all remain open.

Spiking: Alcoholic Drinks

Peter Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential benefits of requiring venues to declare publicly whenever an incident of drink spiking has occurred.

Miss Sarah Dines: We are currently looking across the system to better understand how to respond to these crimes and provide the best support for victims.All action carried out on spiking will be reflected in the statutory report, due to be published 28 April 2023

Undocumented Migrants: English Channel

Lee Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers who (a) came across the Channel illegally in small boats and (b) arrived in the UK by other means have been arrested by police for offences other than under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 since the commencement of that Act.

Lee Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many allegations of assault have been made against asylum seekers who (a) came across the Channel illegally in small boats and (b) arrived in the UK by other means since 1 January 2022.

Robert Jenrick: If Police suspect they are dealing with a non-settled person, the Police will contact Immigration Enforcement to check a person’s status and a record is made of that on our databases; however this information is not recorded in a way which is reportable

Asylum: Interviews

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) accommodation and (b) other support her Department provides to asylum seekers between the time of an asylum seeker making an appointment with an asylum intake unit and that appointment taking place.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office has a legal obligation to provide support to asylum-seekers who would otherwise be destitute.Those wishing to claim asylum are expected to do so on arrival at the port of entry or, if already in the UK, and their circumstances change, as soon as possible at the Asylum Intake Unit (AIU) in Croydon. The AIU operates an appointment process for those who have accommodation, but a walk-in service is available for those who are destitute and need immediate accommodation.Destitute asylum seekers can access initial support under section 98 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 which is offered as initial or contingency accommodation (usually full board) when they make an appointment to attend an asylum screening interview at the AIU and until the appointment time.

Wind Power: Labour Market

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to Answer 98938 on 7 December 2022, what labour market information was available to her Department on the sector.

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to Answer on 7 December 2022 to Question 98938, (a) what labour market information or (b) other representations their decision was based upon.

Robert Jenrick: As previously set out, the Government regularly reviews all concessions to the Immigration Rules against the general principles of the immigration system to check whether they are necessary and regularly undertakes engagement with a wide range of stakeholders. This will continue to be the case in future.The concession will expire on 30 April 2023 at which point it will not be extended.

Asylum

Peter Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2022 to Question 13114 on Asylum and Passports: Applications, how many and what proportion of asylum decision makers hired since the start of 2022 have completed the (a) foundation training and (b) mentoring period as part of the asylum transformation programme.

Robert Jenrick: The Asylum Transformation programme aims to bring the asylum system back into balance and modernise it. It is focused on increasing productivity by streamlining, simplifying and digitising the system to speed up processes and increase efficiency and output.

Asylum: Temporary Accommodation

Lee Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times police were called to deal with incidents in (a) hotels, (b) processing centres and (c) other accommodation used for asylum seekers since 1 January 2022.

Robert Jenrick: Security and support staff are on site 24 hours a day and providers liaise closely with local police to ensure the safety of vulnerable residents and to mitigate any risks to them and the wider community.We regularly engage with accommodation providers and, where necessary, work with providers to put additional measures in place. This will include working with other Statutory bodies including Police to investigate any potential criminal activities

Spiking: Alcoholic Drinks

Peter Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle incidents of drink spiking in night clubs.

Miss Sarah Dines: The government and law enforcement have been engaging with the industry on this issue since last autumn. Steps taken to tackle spiking include:Meeting representatives of the night time industry to discuss good practice, sharing of good practice and any additional support required (per recommendation 5 of the Home Affairs Select Committee Report on spiking, #HC 508)Working with the local government association to provide information to the range of local licensing authorities throughout the country, including sharing best practice and the provision of more information on upcoming activity (for example during the festival season).Collaborating with partners to develop informational products including posters and other guidance documents that will help inform staff and customers in night time economy venues of the risks to victims, to raise awareness of the issue, and to share best practice.Working with Police force crime registrars to improve the collection and recording of data relating to spiking offence to better reflect the local picture throughout the country. The National Police Chiefs Council have also been monitoring the number of cases at a national level which has helped to inform policy making.A full summary of the work carried out on spiking will be included in the statutory report due to be published 28 April 2023.

Immigration: Biometric Residence Permits

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with financial industry representatives on enabling people with biometric residence permits to continue to evidence indefinite leave to remain beyond 2024.

Robert Jenrick: As part of our move to a “digital by default” border and immigration system, biometric residence permits (BRPs) will be replaced by a fully digital eVisa by the end of 2024. Anyone with a BRP will be able to register for an eVisa and we will issue further communications about what individuals will need to do and the support available in due course. UKVI will update their information on how to prove your immigration status in early 2024.The Home Office regularly engages with a broad range of stakeholders about changes to our border and immigration system, For example, through our Employers Advisory Group, whose members include Deloitte, PWC, and UK Finance, amongst others.

Members: Correspondence

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to respond to the correspondence of 15 November 2022 from the Rt Hon. Member for East Ham, case reference ST94194.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office replied on 8 December 2022.

Afghanistan: Refugees

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Afghan refugees have been resettled in (a) Wales and the (b) the UK in the last 12 months.

Robert Jenrick: The recent update to the published 'Afghan Resettlement: Operational Data', shows that, as of 4th November 2022:22,833 individuals from Afghanistan have been brought to safety in the UK (since the end of June 2021).We have granted Indefinite Leave to Remain to 12,296 individuals.Work is now underway to assure information relating to all the individuals relocated under the ARAP and ACRS on case working systems. Once this work concludes, statistics on the number of people resettled under each scheme will be included in the published Immigration Statistics.At present a breakdown of Afghan resettlement by region and by year has not been publicly released. In line with past publications, we anticipate that this data will be included in future editions of the quarterly Immigration Statistics.

Immigration: Agriculture

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has received the report from the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration on its inspection of the immigration system as it relates to the agricultural sector; and when she plans to publish that report.

Robert Jenrick: A final report on inspection of the immigration system as it relates to the agricultural sector has been issued formally by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) to the Secretary of State and will be published as soon as possible.

Asylum: Interviews

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of asylum cases currently in the backlog have had a substantive interview.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office is unable to provide the percentage of asylum cases, currently in the backlog, that have had a substantive interview because this data is not held in a reportable format, not routinely published, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Asylum: Applications

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum application decisions have been taken by Home Office caseworkers since 1 September 2022.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on asylum applications can be found in table Asy_D01 of the ‘asylum and resettlement detailed datasets’. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbooks. The latest data relates to July to September (Q3) 2022. Data for the period covering October to December (Q4) 2022 will be published on 23 February 2023. Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.

Asylum: Applications

Peter Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications are outstanding pending an initial decision in the latest period for which data is available.

Peter Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications awaiting an initial decision have been pending for more than six months in the latest period for which data is available.

Peter Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications awaiting an initial decision have been pending for more than one year in the latest period for which data is available.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on asylum applications awaiting a decision can be found in table Asy_D03 of the ‘asylum and resettlement detailed datasets’. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbooks. Please note the data show a snapshot as at the last day of each quarter, rather than the number of asylum applications awaiting a decision over the entire quarter. The latest data relates to as at 30 September 2022. Data as at 31 December 2022 will be published on 23 February 2023. Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.Please note data in table Asy_D03 is broken down by applications awaiting an initial decision for 6 months or less, and longer than 6 months only.

Crime: Foetal Anticonvulsant Syndrome

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an estimate of the number of people with diagnosis of Fetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder who have been charged with a crime in each of the last five years.

Chris Philp: This information requested is not held by the Home Office.

Police: Huntington's Disease

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a person at risk of developing Huntington's disease is considered medically fit to serve in police armed response units.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of which police roles are suitable for an applicant with a family history of Huntington's disease.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people at risk of Huntington's disease (a) applied to serve in police armed response units and (b) were rejected because of that risk in the last five years.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the decision to accept people at risk of developing Huntington's disease to serve in police armed response units was made; and by whom.

Chris Philp: Decisions about police recruitment, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners.Chief Officers have a statutory duty of care to their officers and staff, and the public, and they must ensure candidates can be deployed safely in a role and fulfil the duties of a police officer.Whether or not to recruit, and whether reasonable adjustments are possible, is ultimately the decision of individual Chief Officers, supported by the advice of occupational health professionals.National guidance set by the College of Policing is clear that applicants seeking to join the police in England and Wales should be judged on their individual merits and circumstances. This includes consideration of their medical suitability.All firearms officers must meet medical and fitness standards before initial training, and annually thereafter.Information on the number of applicants received from those at risk of developing Huntington’s disease is not held by the department.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Derelict Land: Regeneration

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he plans to take to encourage further regeneration of vacant brownfield sites.

Felicity Buchan: The Government strongly encourages the re-use of brownfield land. National policy already sets out that planning policies and decisions should make efficient use of land and give substantial weight to the value of using suitable brownfield land.The Government has already introduced a range of policy and funding incentives to support the development of brownfield land and the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill will further empower local leaders to regenerate towns and cities by strengthening and adding to existing measures. For example, it will provide:the new Infrastructure Levy which will be set locally by local planning authorities. They will be able to set different Levy rates in different areas, for example lower rates on brownfield over greenfield to increase the potential for brownfield development. That will allow them to reflect national policy, which delivers our brownfield first pledge by giving substantial weight to the value of using brownfield land;local authorities with the power to fill vacant commercial property, such as shops, through high street rental auctions;a power for local authorities to be able to double the standard council tax rate on any home left empty for longer than a year, rather than two, encouraging more empty homes back into productive use.Further to this, we have committed to launching a review to identify further measures that would prioritise the use of brownfield land.

Private Rented Housing: Rents

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment has he made of the potential impact of rent increases in (a) Slough and (b) the South East on private tenants.

Felicity Buchan: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 102972 on 8 December 2022.

Holiday Accommodation: Multiple Occupation

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of whether landlords are using online platforms such as Airbnb to bypass Homes of Multiple Occupancy regulated standards.

Felicity Buchan: A property is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) if it meets the definitions set out in the Housing Act 2004. Landlords of these properties cannot bypass HMO management regulations and, if applicable HMO licensing, by letting them through short term lettings platforms.We are aware, however, that the proliferation of short-term lets has prompted concerns. The government's Call for Evidence to gather more information on the sector to inform the development of policy options was held between June and September of this year, and received almost 4,000 responses. We are therefore introducing a registration scheme for short-term lets through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.

Levelling Up Fund

Holly Lynch: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will take steps to assist councils in cases where they have been allocated funding from the Levelling Up Fund for specific projects, but where due to increases in inflation and borrowing costs since funding was allocated that funding is no longer sufficient to meet the cost of those approved projects.

Dehenna Davison: The department continues to monitor the impact of inflation closely through formal reporting mechanisms and on the ground relationships.As we have set out previously, the Levelling Up Fund has in place a proportionate project adjustment process. Through this, we can work with places to make sensible adjustments to the scope and phasing of projects to mitigate delivery challenges including cost inflation whilst also maintaining value for money.

Recreation Spaces: Great Yarmouth

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to help support communities that are tackling identified deficits in (a) green and (b) amenity spaces in Great Yarmouth.

Dehenna Davison: Great Yarmouth is one of many places around the country that is benefitting from our mission to level up the UK. The Norfolk Devolution Deal, signed on 8 December, will provide £600 million over 30 years, allowing Norfolk to invest in its local residents’ and businesses’ priorities. Further to this, Great Yarmouth has received funding through the Levelling Up Parks Fund, the Towns Fund, and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which will help create new or refurbished green spaces where they are needed most in the area, catalyse wider investment to support regeneration, recovery, jobs, and growth, and identify the area’s own needs and capitalise on its strengths to build pride in places and improve life prospects.

Buildings: Safety

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to publish (a) the results of and (b) his Department's response to the consultation covering the proposed changes to building regulations under part 3 of the Building Safety Act 2022.

Lee Rowley: We are currently considering responses to the consultation covering proposed changes to building regulations under Part 3 of the Building Safety Act 2022 and will publish a response in due course.

Housing: Wirral South

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many homes were below an Energy Performance Certificate Level C in Wirral South on 24 November 2022.

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many homes were below an Energy Performance Certificate Level E in Wirral South on 24 November 2022.

Lee Rowley: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 99812 on 5 December 2022.

Church Commissioners

Church of England

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what discussions he has had with the General Synod on the steps it will take to agree the Vision and Strategy for the Church of England in the 2020s.

Andrew Selous: I have had no discussions with the Business Committee of the General Synod about the Vision and Strategy.The Vision and Strategy was debated in July 2022, when the Synod voted in favour of the following motion:‘That this Synod: (a) welcome the spending plans by the Church Commissioners and Archbishops’ Council, set out in GS 2262, for financial distributions over 2023 to 2025 and indicative distributions for the subsequent six years;(b) welcome the investment in ministry in parishes, chaplaincies, schools, cathedrals and other forms of church in support of the Church’s vision and strategy as set out in Annex A of GS 2262; and(c) welcome the focused investment to support previously agreed commitments to a 2030 net zero carbon target and to address racial justice.’

Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the General Synod asked the Church Commissioners to continue work on the review of the Mission and Pastoral Measure and bring forward draft proposals for debate in February 2023.

Andrew Selous: The Mission, Pastoral & Church Property Committee of the Church Commissioners tabled a paper for debate at the July 2021 Synod. The motion and vote was:‘That this Synod a) welcome the consultation paper Mission in Revision: A Review of the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 (GS 2222); b) commend it for discussion; and c) invite the Archbishops’ Council, the Legislative Reform Committee and the Church Commissioners to bring forward draft legislation for consideration by the Synod no later than July 2022.’In a counted vote of the whole Synod the voting was as follows: • In favour - 278 • Against – 2 • Abstentions – 7The original timetable was extended as the Commissioners decided that further consultation was needed before any proposals came to Synod. It is hoped that the Business Committee of the General Synod will schedule the Mission and Pastoral Measure as an item at the July 2023 meeting and that the Synod will be presented with either an update or more specific proposals, depending on progress.

Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, which (a) body or (b) person asked the Church Commissioners to review the Mission and Pastoral Measure.

Andrew Selous: In 2019 the Legislative Reform Committee of the Archbishops’ Council was tasked with considering reviews of primary legislation. In July 2020 the Archbishops’ Council approved a recommendation from the Committee that the Mission and Pastoral Measure be reviewed, and this was endorsed by the House of Bishops at their meeting in July 2020. The Church Commissioners were then asked by the Archbishops’ Council to lead on a review, as they have the governance and management responsibility for the legislation.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland: Elections

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to his oral contribution of 9 November 2022, Official Report, column 281, on Northern Ireland Elections, what plans he has to convene all-party talks with Northern Ireland party leaders to discuss (a) restoring the Executive and (b) progress on Northern Ireland Protocol negotiations.

Chris Heaton-Harris: The Northern Ireland Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Northern Ireland Office: Accountancy

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the (a) nature and (b) value was of all (i) contracts, (ii) consultancies and (iii) other services placed with the accountancy firms (A) Deloitte & Touche, (B) Ernst & Young, (C) KPMG and (D) PricewaterhouseCoopers in each year since 2010-11 by (1) their Department, (2) any predecessor Departments and (3) departmental agencies.

Mr Steve Baker: Details of Government contracts from 2016 above £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder.The Department does not hold records of contracts held before this period. Prior to 2016, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission held the following contracts: Deloitte & Touche – March 2010 – Job evaluation exercise - £2,585 Reports available from the Department’s accounting system are available from the 2017-18 financial year. The Department has not paid for services from Deloitte & Touche or PricewaterhouseCoopers during this period. Amounts spent with Ernst & Young and KPMG are detailed below. These were all for external training provider services. Financial yearErnst & Young (£)KPMG (£)2017-18020,5372018-19014,8362019-20022,4412020-21033,8342021-227,66115,5232022-23 (to 31 October)2,220665

Unemployment: Young People

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent steps he has taken to help reduce the cost of living for young people not in education, employment or training in Northern Ireland.

Mr Steve Baker: The UK Government has invested £15m in Skill Up which is delivering approximately 20,000 training places in Northern Ireland targeted at key growth sectors and supporting young people to develop the skills they need to find new employment opportunities. The UK Government is supporting households across the UK with reduced energy bills this winter. In addition, UK households on eligible means-tested benefits will receive additional Cost of Living Payments totalling up to £900 in the 2023-24 financial year.

Department for International Trade

TRIPS Agreement: Coronavirus

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she had discussions with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on extending the TRIPS waiver to include COVID-19 tests and treatments.

Greg Hands: I refer the Hon. Member for North East Fife to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Warrington North on 7 November 2022, UIN: 72474.

TRIPS Agreement: Coronavirus

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the TRIPS waiver to include COVID-19 tests and treatments.

Greg Hands: I refer the Hon. Member for Harrow West to the answer I gave to him on 17 October 2022, UIN: 61708.

TRIPS Agreement: Coronavirus

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her Department held discussions with international counterparts at the WTO Council meeting on 22 November 2022 on the extension of the TRIPS waiver to include covid-19 tests and treatments.

Greg Hands: The UK is engaging in the ongoing discussions taking place in the World Trade Organization, as Members consider extending the TRIPS Decision to COVID-19 therapeutics and diagnostics.  The UK looks forward to making progress in this area and remains committed to engaging constructively.

Department for International Trade: Incentives

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what was the total value of non-cash vouchers awarded to staff working for (a) her Department and (b) UK Export Finance as performance-related bonuses in (a) 2017-18, (b) 2018-19, (c) 2019-20, (d) 2020-21 and (e) 2021-22.

Nigel Huddleston: Bonuses paid out as non-cash vouchers is a standard practice across Government. The EdenRed contract came into effect in 2017 which allows departments access to non-cash vouchers for staff. The total value of non-cash vouchers awarded to staff working for the Department for International Trade and UK Export Finance as performance-related bonuses is as below:Department 2017-18 2018-192019-202020-21 2021-22 DIT£15,818£32,841£69,057£136,235£142,537UKEF£3,750£1,900£2,610£870£765

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Holiday Accommodation

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he plans to take to enable local authorities to (a) cap the number of and (b) disallow short-term holiday lets.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to enable local authorities to sanction landlords who do not ensure orderly occupants in short-term holiday lets.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to take steps to ensure that short-term holiday let owners contribute financially to their local communities through taxation.

Stuart Andrew: The Government is aware that whilst the growth of short term lets over recent years has delivered many benefits for consumers, it has also prompted concerns in some areas with a high concentration of such properties.To address this, the Government is introducing a registration scheme for short-term lets through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill. Further details on how the scheme will operate will be explored through a public consultation which we aim to publish before summer recess in 2023. The Government will also consult next year on the introduction of a new planning use class for short-term lets, supported by permitted development rights.A registration scheme has the potential to provide much needed data on short-term lets, improve consistency in the application of health and safety regulations, boost England’s reputation, and attract more international visitors by giving visible assurance that we have a high quality and safe guest accommodation offer.On taxation, the Government is planning to introduce a discretionary council tax premium on second homes. Councils will be able to levy a premium of up to an additional 100% on council tax bills for second homes. It will be for councils to exercise their own judgement as to whether to apply a premium and at what level.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Accountancy

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the (a) nature and (b) value was of all (i) contracts, (ii) consultancies and (iii) other services placed with the accountancy firms (A) Deloitte & Touche, (B) Ernst & Young, (C) KPMG and (D) PricewaterhouseCoopers in each year since 2010-11 by (1) their Department, (2) any predecessor Departments and (3) departmental agencies.

Julia Lopez: Since 2016, details of government contracts are published on Contracts Finder above £10,000, for the core Department, and above £25,000, for the wider public sector.Contract information, from 2010 to 2016, is not held centrally in the requested format and it would meet the cost limit to collate the requested data.

Local Broadcasting: Radio

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to help ensure that regional media content is made available in the region to which it relates by radio stations in the context of localised opt-outs.

Julia Lopez: The Government recognises the positive impact that local public service broadcasting – particularly access to local radio and television services – has on local communities. On a local level, our public service broadcasters, local TV providers, news publishers and commercial and community radio stations all play a crucial role in disseminating accurate news and reflecting the unique interests of the audiences that they serve. Our Broadcasting White Paper published in April this year outlined our plans to support this diversity of content through a changing landscape.The Government is disappointed that the BBC is planning to reduce parts of its local radio output. The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the government as set out in its Royal Charter, and decisions on service delivery are a matter for the BBC. However, I have been clear with the Chairman of the BBC Board and the Director General that the BBC must make sure it continues to provide distinctive and genuinely local services, with content that reflects and represents people and communities from all corners of the UK.The Government also expects Ofcom, as regulator of the BBC, to ensure the BBC is robustly held to account in delivering its public service duties. The Secretary of State has already asked Ofcom about how they are considering this issue, and Ofcom is continuing to discuss these proposals with the BBC.

Arts: Coastal Areas

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps her Department has taken to ensure the fair allocation of arts funding in (a) Great Yarmouth, (b) other coastal communities and (c) the UK.

Stuart Andrew: Arts Council England (ACE), which distributes public funding at arm’s length from the Government, is committed to supporting arts and culture across the whole country, including coastal communities. To this end, ACE has recently announced the outcome of its 2023–26 Investment Programme, which will be investing £446 million each year in arts and culture across England. Organisations right across the country are facing challenges, and it is right that support from the taxpayer is fairly distributed. This funding will now support 990 organisations – a record number – across the whole of England and will give people across the country, including those in coastal communities, more opportunities to access high-quality culture on their doorstep.ACE and DCMS jointly identified 109 Levelling Up for Culture Places – places which historically have had low investment in arts and culture or lower levels of participation – which will be targeted for additional Arts Council England investment. These places include a number of coastal communities such as the Isle of Wight, Great Yarmouth, Torbay, and Barrow-in-Furness.Between 2020 and 2023, across all programmes Arts Council England has allocated almost £2.3 million of lottery and exchequer funding to Great Yarmouth – including support for The Seachange Trust. Arts Council England recently announced that The Seachange Trust in Great Yarmouth will now receive an increased level of funding, totalling over £1.7 million over the next three years as part of the 2023–26 Investment Programme.

Social Media: Children

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her  Department has made of the potential merits of allowing parents to be able to have (a) access to and (b) ownership of their children's digital profiles and posts on social media.

Paul Scully: Protecting children online is a government priority and the strongest safeguards in the Online Safety Bill are for children. As well as protecting children from illegal content and activity, providers of services which are likely to be accessed by children will be required to assess the risk of harm their service poses for children, put in place proportionate safety measures to protect children, and monitor these for effectiveness. If a child encounters, or is the subject of illegal or harmful content and activity, parents, guardians and children will also be able to report it easily and, where appropriate, receive support.Ofcom will set out the steps that providers can take to comply with the child safety duties in codes of practice and, where proportionate, this could include the use of parental controls or linked accounts for children of certain age groups. The Information Commissioner’s Age Appropriate Design Code sets out standards on the use of parental controls which providers must follow to safeguard children’s right to privacy.

Gambling: Suicide

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to her Answer of 3 October 2022 to Question 51665 on Gambling: Addictions, for what reasons the Gambling Commission did not inform her Department that it considered Public Health England’s estimate of the number of suicides in England associated with problem gambling to be inaccurate.

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 3 October 2022 to Question 51665 on Gambling: Addictions, if she will ask the Gambling Commission to publish its assessment of the Public Health England report on social and economic costs associated with gambling-related harms.

Paul Scully: The Gambling Commission is not required to produce an assessment of the work of other public bodies, and, unless formally requested to do so, it is not required to provide formal advice to the Department on its views regarding particular pieces of research or evidence. However, DCMS officials have regular discussions with the Commission on a range of issues relating to gambling regulation and the evidence on gambling, and this has included the Public Health England evidence report.

Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, what plans they have to (a) revoke, (b) replace or (c) retain the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002.

Paul Scully: The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill (REUL) is part of the government's commitment to taking the necessary steps to put the UK statute book on a sustainable footing, following our exit from the EU. The Bill will make it easier to amend, repeal or replace REUL, in the best interests of the UK.We are currently assessing the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 alongside other areas of REUL. The government is committed to supporting digital innovation in the UK.

Gambling: Suicide

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the (a) adequacy of the methodology used and (b) accuracy of the estimates of the level of suicides associated with problem gambling in the report by Public Health England entitled Gambling-related harms: evidence review, published on 30 September 2021.

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the Governnet's planned timetable is for the publication of Public Health England's cost estimates of harmful gambling and the addendum showing specific calculations.

Paul Scully: The Department for Health and Social Care is undertaking a review and update of the Public Health England report ‘Gambling-related harms evidence review: the economic and social cost of harms’, to assess the accuracy of its estimates of suicide numbers. The updated report is in the final stage of review and will be published soon.

Lawn Tennis Association: Fines

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the Association of Tennis Professionals on (a) the £820,000 pound fine given to the Lawn Tennis Association and (b) the participation of Russian and Belarusian players in tennis tournaments.

Stuart Andrew: The UK Government has made it clear in writing to both the Association of Tennis Professionals and the Women’s Tennis Association that we fully supported the decision of the Lawn Tennis Association and the All England Lawn Tennis Club to decline entries from Russian and Belarusian players to competition in England.It is essential that the international sport community stands united in ensuring President Putin cannot use sport to legitimise his barbaric invasion of Ukraine. Fining the AELTC and LTA sends completely the wrong message to Putin, and we strongly urge the ATP and WTA to reconsider.